One Punch Man: A tad different
by CrimsonSZ
Summary: What if things were changed, just a tad? That's all I'm asking. Find out as the story unravels, and the novice author continues to lament about how this was harder than he imagined. I hope you enjoy! (Currently being rewritten with *hopefully* better writing. No, this isn't discontinued.)
1. Chapter 1: Familiar?

"Alert! Alert! The dragon level threat is headed to City Z! All civilians are to evacuate immediately!"

It was a normal day in City Z. Until the message was blared across the town. The citizens panicked. It had been months since the last Dragon level monster attacked and back then, it rose out of a secluded island where heroes, or rather, a heroine was able to deal with it without casualties.

Tatsumaki, also known as the "Tornado of Terror", is the Hero Associations' trump card. The S class Rank 2 heroine is so powerful that she's never called in for anything less than a Dragon level. Considering Dragons are second only to Gods in terms of danger level, this caused the public to further respect Tatsumaki. This is probably why some heroes insisted on fighting the monster. They too wanted to be recognized. Unfortunately for them, the monster was far too powerful to be taken down by a couple of measly A classes.

As Tatsumaki flew across the cities, she spotted the unconscious bodies of A class heroes "Smile Man" and "Lightning Max" sprawled along rubble.

"Hmph. Those two weaklings had it coming if they thought they could take on a Dragon level threat! Still, better get them medical attention quickly." thought Tatsumaki, as she whipped out her phone to contact the Hero association about the fallen weaklings. As she ended the call, she spotted the monster she was assigned to dispose of. A 6'7" purple creature with antennas and pointed ears.

"This is the thing that levelled a city? Might as well kill it quickly before it levels another one." With that, Tatsumaki prepared an attack to destroy the creature. At least, that was the plan until she heard the faint cries of a little girl.

The little girl was bawling her eyes out and crying for her mom and dad. Tatsumaki wondered where said adults were. The creature chuckled as it reached for the girl, intending on crushing the young life out of her, when the girl was suddenly moved out of the way by a green light, confusing the monster.

"And who do we have here?"

"My name is Tatsumaki, the second strongest in the Hero association, and I am here to ensure you cause no more damage than you already have."

"Such arrogant talk for a brat. I am Vacc-"

"Who are you calling BRAT? Just for that, I'll make sure you die painfully!"

Tatsumaki was 28 years of age. Despite this, her petite form made her look no older than 12. Insults about her size would always result in the fool that said it being yelled at or in the case of the word "brat", especially from a monster, a taste of her powers.

The ESPer launched several pieces of debris at "Vacc(?)" at alarming speeds, expecting the monster to be knocked down. Instead, the creature tanked the concrete, and headed straight for Tatsumaki. Realising the monster's body was much tougher than she expected, Tatsumaki changed her strategy. She conjured a tornado and sent it straight to the creature.

Vacc laughed at the puny human's attempt to hurt it with a force of nature. With a clap of its hands, it dispersed the tornado, leaving Tatsumaki curious more than anything. Was she finally going to have her boredom alleviated?

"Foolish human! I was born from the constant stream of pollution which you humans have suffused the earth. I am Vaccine Man! (Oh, THAT'S his name, thought Tatsumaki) The earth is a single living organism and you humans are parasites feeding off her life force! In order to eradicate this disease, she has given birth to ME! Did you truly think some strong wind could hurt ME? For your insolence, I will K-"

"You talk too much weakling. Let me show you my true strength!"

A green glow surrounded vaccine man. Tatsumaki focused as she amplified the gravity around Vaccine Man, intending to crush him. To this, Vaccine Man only laughed.

"Perhaps you didn't get my point! I am a weapon of earth herself! Not even nature can hurt me! Prepare to DIE"

Vaccine Man launched a punch at Tatsumaki with incredible speed, intent on destroying the brat (No offense Tats, don't kill me!). Tatsumaki was too fast however, and flew out of the way.

"Well, if he isn't affected by nature, let's see if he can take something that even earth can't handle." the "Tornado of Terror" thought to herself.

Tatsumaki found the nearest meteor she could. It was the a quarter the size of the first meteor she summoned to eradicate the island monster mentioned earlier which was apparently called the "Ancient King". Of course, she could've used a larger one, but she knew the blast radius of anything larger would have affected the nearby city. As she prepared to bring down the meteor, she quickly bubbled up the little girl (What, you didn't think she'd forget her, did you?) and moved her into the air where she can watch her. She wouldn't want to set her down in the city for some freak to try and hurt her now, would she?

"Okay then "Weapon of earth". Let's see how well you fare against something even earth can't defend against. Eat meteor, punk!"

A cloud of smoke came from where Vaccine Man stood. It seems the creature wasn't a match for Tatsumaki at all. Seems. As Tatsumaki prepared to get the little girl, who had fainted due to shock, to a hospital, she was grabbed by... a large spiky purple hand?

"Did you really think you could get rid of me so easily girl? I'll admit, that hurt a little but with my true form, there is nothing you can do!"

The 6'7" Vaccine Man was now a terrifying 59'1". Tatsumaki was trying her best to not only shield herself but the little girl as well. Unfortunately, her powers were weakening due to just how strong the monster was. If she couldn't find a way to get out of his grasp, she would surely be squished.

"Damn it, I don't want to die, not like this! I'm so sorry Fu-"

Tatsumaki's thoughts were interrupted as the monster suddenly released it's grip. Tatsumaki couldn't believe her eyes. The terrifying creature was now nothing but blood and guts. Whether it was from shock or from being weakened, Tatsumaki chose to believe the former, she lost her concentration and began falling to the ground below, along with the little girl, until both were caught in strong yet surprisingly comforting arms.

As the trio landed, Tatsumaki forced herself out of the arms of her supposed saviour, not wanting to look weak, and was surprised to see a man in a yellow jumpsuit with a zipper at the collar, a white cape and red gloves and boots. He had perfectly chiseled muscles which bodybuilders could only dream of, a chin that, if it were any sharper, could cut and brown eyes which seemed to be seething with anger and, to top it all off, a perfectly bald head which gave off a shine and showcased his temples, all of which gave even Tatsumaki a scare.

"Not again! All it took was one punch! DAMN ITTTTTT!"

The man proceeded to lament to god about how if they were going to ruin his day with a monster crushing a supermarket with a 50% off all sale, they could've at least gave him a challenge. As all of this occured, Tatsumaki could stare at this man, eyes wide in shock.

"Again? Does he mean he took care of similar monsters with one punch before? Impossible, the Hero Association would have recruited such power already! And did he say he could've at least been given a challenge? Did he seriously just imply that this dragon level threat was EASY?"

"Well, I guess I should go home now. Maybe I'll find another sale."

Tatsumaki interrupted her own thoughts as soon as she heard the bald man mention going home. Not wanting the troublesome task of finding the man again, she yelled to get the guy's attention.

"Who are you? And why have I never heard of you from the Hero Association? Are you some kind of secret weapon they only use when I seem to be in trouble? (How dare they look down on me!)"

The man just stared at Tatsumaki, completely unaware that the ESPer, who was wondering if she pissed him off, was getting freaked out by his emotionless stare. If she didn't hear him scream to the high heavens or witnessed him saving herself and the girl, she would've thought the man either mute or a monster preparing to attack. Still, after witnessing his power first hand, she could not help but feel a little bit fearful.

"Y...you mean you've never heard of me? I'm Saitama! You know, the hero for fun! And what Hero Association? And what do you mean secret weapon, I was just doing my duty and saving two little girls!"

Upon hearing herself being referred to as a "little girl", Tatsumaki tried desperately to calm herself down. Sure, many people have made this mistake before and were sufficiently punished, but this man was not only her saviour, but was quite powerful. She was not going to risk pissing him off.

"No wonder I've never heard of you. You don't even know about the Hero Association?"

Saitama simply shook his bald head. (What do you mean why do I have to point that out?)

"The Hero Association was formed three years ago by a multi-millionaire named Agoni after his grandson was saved by a mysterious man from a monster. If you don't sign up with the Association, you are not officially recognised as a hero, and your work is credited to the nearest registered hero."

Saitama seemed to be in shock after hearing Tatsumaki's explanation.

"You mean after three years of taking down multiple villains and evil organizations, I'm not even recognised as a hero? Damn it! Hey kid, can you show me how to sign up with this association?"

"I'm not a kid you dumb baldy! I'm 28 and I'm probably older than you!"

Not realising just how much the term "baldy" insulted the man, Tatsumaki sighed.

"Anyway, the next registration period is tomorrow at 1pm. Meet me at * **insert address here** * at 11am and I'll see if I can get you in early on account of you saving my life. For now, I have a girl to bring to the hospital, and two neglectful parents to find."

"Oh, sure thing lady. Sorry about mistaking you for a kid just now by the way."

"Whatever. Oh, and my name is Tatsumaki, and don't you forget it!"

"Uh, ok Tatsu... sorry, I forgot your name already."

Saitama was picking away at his nose, completely oblivious to the frustration in Tatsumaki's eyes.

"Ugh, if you're this forgetful how can I trust you to meet me on time tomorrow? Tell you what, give me your address. I'll come and get you."

"Are you sure? Wouldn't it be embarrassing since we just met"

"Are you kidding me? I'm Tatsumaki, the "Tornado of Terror"! S class Rank 2 of the Hero Association! You should be HONOURED I'm personally dragging your ungrateful ass to a test!"

"Ok ok, geez. You have a temper as short as yourself Tatsu-"

"DAMN IT BALDY DON'T CALL ME SHORT!"

"Ok! Sorry. I'll meet you tomorrow at * **insert house address** *, ok Tats?"

"It's TAT-SU-MA-KI! HOW CAN YOU BE THIS FORGETFUL! (At least he's kind enough to apologise)"

"Sorry, I've never been good with names. So uh, see you tomorrow Tatsumaki. Did I get it right?"

"* **Sigh** *, yes. Yes you did baldy."

"My name's Saitama. And try not to be too harsh on the girl's parents okay? For all you know, they might have lost track of her while running."

"Hmph! As if ignorant parents deserve any mercy. Fine, on account that you played a part in saving the girl, I'll be more gentle with them, for your sake."

"Uh, thanks I guess. I should go, I might be able to find another sale."

"Hold on Baldy-"

"Saitama."

"Saitama. How about I treat you to lunch as a thanks for helping me?"

"Really? Gee, thanks Tatsumaki. Now I'll have enough groceries for tonight's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast!"

"Whatever Baldy. Now hurry up, I'll have to get the girl to a hospital before I treat you."

"Don't call me Bal-nevermind."

And so the two headed to a nearby hospital to drop off the little girl and while Tatsumaki was going at a pace far slower than what she would've wanted, she convinced herself it was due to not wanting to strain the baldy rather than herself getting tired, not knowing Saitama could've simply carried both her and the little girl at speeds beyond comprehension. Tatsumaki was nonetheless pleased with herself for finding possibly a new S rank hero for the Hero's Association, not realising this was the start of one heck of a friendship.

* * *

So, here's Chapter 1 of my story idea. I'd like to once again thank anyone who took their time to read this story. I noticed quite a few mistakes in the story telling, such as completely forgetting to describe Tatsumaki. I'll try my best to write better next chapter. Should anyone wish to critique, I only ask you try to be as constructive as you can. I don't mind blunt reviews as long as they can be of use. If you wish to help me out by suggesting an idea, PM me so if I decide to use it, others won't have the story spoiled.

Also just to clarify, the ancient king mentioned here is the same as the one in the anime. I just decided to bring that fight forward for this story's sake. Also, the supermarket Saitama was in was completely empty due to the alert, yet the hero simply figured it meant more for him and intended to leave payment before he went home, until Vaccine man enlarged himself and crushed it. I didn't want to go into detail about that because I realised the story might be getting too long. Sorry about that seemingly convenient plot!


	2. Chapter 2: The Lunch

"Uhm, Tats? While I appreciate free food, aren't these options a little bit... pricey?"

After dropping off the girl at a hospital and giving her parents, who had taken shelter nearby, a lecture on keeping watch on their kid, Tatsumaki brought the Baldy to her favourite café, the "Roasts Toasts and More " in City D by flying both herself and the Baldy with those powers of hers. Of course, she was still quite tired but the thought of all the treats awaiting her, as well as the quick break she had, were enough for the ESPer to fly at 70% of her usual speed. At least, that was the plan. Apparently Saitama, despite being fairly slim, managed to weigh her down to about 45%. Of course, this has to be due to her still being tired, not because the Baldy somehow could resist her powers, right?

"I've told you before, my name is Tatsumaki. Besides, I've got more than enough money to cover a simple lunch due to the Hero Association. Now hurry up and order something or I'll start without you!"

"Just one small problem Tatsumaki. I... don't know what any of these are."

Well, that shocked the ESPer. Not only was the man completely ignorant of the Hero Association, he apparently has never been to a café before. If she knew just how much this man was going to test her temper, she would've let him find a sale so she could enjoy lunch by herself. Oh well, the great "Tornado of Terror" was not one to back away from a challenge, even one as ridiculous as repaying someone that saved her life.

"Fine, you'll just have what I have. Waiter!"

During the five minute wait, Tatsumaki watched as the Baldy did all sorts of unsightly actions such as picking his nose, digging his ears, scratching his behind and more. All of this would've been fine were it not for the fact that 1: they were in quite a posh café, meaning that majority of the customers were snooty high-class douchebags, and 2: Saitama's glaring bald head and bright, yellow suit were attracting most, if not all, of the customers' attention who began to gossip.

You'd think that with how popular Tatsumaki and her temper are, these civilians would know better than to talk bad about her but of course, they did anyway. They probably thought that if they whisper, they'd be safe from any repercussions. Unbeknownst to them, Tatsumaki's powers happen to sharpen her hearing, meaning that their comments did not go unheard."

 _"Isn't that the S class Rank 2 'Tornado of Terror'? What is she doing with such a disgusting old man?"  
_

 _"Ew, Tatsumaki has such low standards in who she dates? And to think I wanted to court her."_

 _"I refuse to believe that's THE 'Tornado of Terror'. Probably some dumb kid cosplaying as her."_

All these comments and more were getting on Tatsumaki's nerves, especially that last one. Her patience was dwindling, fast. If someone didn't stop them, she'd let her powers loose soon. Saitama, noticing Tatsumaki change from a somewhat elegant lady to one shaking with rage, realised he had to do something. He knew he was the cause of all these comments which, by the way, he could also hear, due to his actions and yet, this was how he acted everywhere. How was he to know there would be people this pompous?

"You know Tatsumaki, I could just leave. It may seem rude especially since I've already ordered, but it's at least better than getting you humiliated. Besides, you don't really have to repay me, I'm a hero for fun remember? Not a hero for rewards."

Unfortunately, instead of calming her down, Saitama's words seemed to have the opposite affect on Tatsumaki. She thought it was bad enough people were disrespecting her, now they were chasing away the man who not only saved her life, but potentially all of humanity including the snobs themselves? Unacceptable.

The silverware of the customers began to float, with forks and knives pointed directly at their faces. Realising they had just pissed off Tatsumaki, the crowd began to say things along the lines of "I'm sorry all powerful Tornado of Terror, forgive my insolence", further pissing off Tatsumaki since they were fully content with insulting her just moments ago.

"SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!"

Despite her size, the ESPer was fully capable of resonating shouts, effectively shutting up the pompous pricks and getting their full attention. And this was without using her powers to amplify it.

"First you insult me behind my back, then you try to suck up to me? WHO DO YOU THINK I AM!"

The atmosphere in the café became so tense, no one dared to move a muscle. Well, except the Baldy of course, who called out to Tatsumaki before things got out of hand.

"I think you've made your point. Let me handle this."

The crowd simply watched as the bald man stepped forward, letting out a sigh before speaking up.

"Listen assholes! Tatsumaki saved me from a monster just now and as a way of saying thanks to her, I'm treating her to a meal, so if all of you would kindly apologise to her, SINCERELY, and let us have our lunch IN PEACE, I'm certain she'll be willing to forgive this misunderstanding."

The crowd was silent for a second, before they all stood up and bowed, apologising to Tatsumaki who simply looked at Saitama with questioning eyes. As everyone sat down, Tatsumaki and Saitama were served their Chocolate and vanilla cakes and their tea. The two thanked the waitress and proceeded to eat in quiet with Saitama enjoying the pricey yet tasty cake and Tatsumaki too deep in thought to properly savour it.

* * *

After Saitama paid the bill, with money Tatsumaki secretly handed to him of course, the two were outside the cafe, preparing to go their seperate ways, until Tatsumaki broke the silence.

"Why did you do that Baldy?"

"Do what?"

"Why did you say I saved you when it was the other way around? You do realise the credit now goes to me right?"

"Well, I figured it was the only way to explain why we would be together in a café without causing any further misunderstandings. Besides, you said it yourself. Since I'm not a registered hero, the credit would go to you."

"It wouldn't have if I said so after we got you registered! And those idiots deserved to be punished for just how disrespectful they were. They even thought licking my boots would make me forgive them, what kind of a person do they think I am?"

"Well, it doesn't matter now. What's done is done. Besides, we would've got kicked out if you did anything rash, and I could tell you were starving from the way your eyes lit up when we arrived. The last thing I want to do is starve a friend."

"Who are you calling a friend Baldy! Do you WANT people to get the wrong idea?"

"Oh, so we're not friends? Sorry, my mistake. Anyway, the food was nice. Guess I'll see you tomorrow Tats."

With that, Saitama walked off, enjoying the view of the grand, at least compared to his usual surroundings, city, wondering what to make for dinner. Tatsumaki was left in front of the "Roasts Toasts and More", with nothing but questions in her mind. This man, whom she had only just met, was perfectly fine with having his victory taken from him just so she wouldn't be kicked out of the café? Not only that, he considered her a friend? Shit, she didn't feel too good about seemingly disappointing him. Wait, what? Why would she care if he was disappointed, he should be happy he got to eat with her. Feeling a weird feeling inside of her, Tatsumaki flew off to find something to do. Perhaps completely destroying monsters would get this off her mind.

* * *

And that's Chapter 2. Hopefully I've made less mistakes here, though I doubt it :/.

In any case, I was going to leave the writing to the future but I decided I was not satisfied by leaving the story where it left off. I also Intended to stretch this chapter out even further but decided eh screw it, it would be far too long. Anyway, I wanted to clarify some things first

When I say "A tad different", I'm mostly going to be changing the timeline eg when something occurs and have the story play out from the change. I do not intend to change the characters at all so please forgive me when I write something OOC.

Those wondering about my schedule, I mostly write in my spare time when I need something other than games to appease my boredom but I'll try to have updates every 4-5 days. Trust me, I know the pain of waiting.

Length of chapters is not set. I mostly just write until I feel I can satisfyingly end it. That said, if you feel a chapter is too long or too short, feel free to tell me.

Speaking of which, I will be replying to critiques in a section below this author's note. That way, readers that would rather their time spent on another task can skip. Any non story related questions will be answered via PM. Thanks again for your time!

* * *

In responce to:

A number 9 large- Ah, I'm sorry about that. I'm so used to constantly explaining things to people because they never seem to understand my jokes that it has seeped into my writing. I'll keep that in mind when I write in the future and hopefully this chapter is more enjoyable for you and other readers. I'm glad you found it okay even with these mistakes though, thanks for your time and the review!

Bomberguy789- Oh boy, I've got some explaining to do. Basically, due to a lack of knowledge as to Vaccine Man's true strength since Saitama happened, I've decided to give him my personal take. I figured if he was "birthed" from earth, he would have a resistance to natural elements, such as wind. I also decided that since he is basically a sort of virus (Vaccine and all), he would not be affected by dense gravity since viruses and bacteria can survive in space. But I will admit his basic form would've died to a meteor as big as the one Tats used on the Ancient King but since Tats didn't want to damage nearby cities, she used one too small to kill him, allowing him to use his true form which amplifies all of these as well as his durability and strength. As to why Tats didn't just lift him into space or use his qi to crush him, I may or may not have forgotten to include that part along with the explanation that since he's a virus, he wouldn't have qi to crush in the first place, nor would his mind be affected by telekinesis. My bad

As to how nice Tatsumaki was, this is less excusable. I originally thought this would be acceptable since she was saved by him, or if I wanted to stretch it, because she didn't believe her weakened state would be able to take on some guy that just called a dragon level she found difficult, easy or because I thought all the "Baldy" and angry shouting was good enough but, now that you brought up some excellent points, I realised that Tatsumaki deciding to treat the guy is just too OOC for me to forgive. Unfortunately, I'll have to keep her like this so as to not confuse the story further by having her go from decent to complete tsundere in a chapter or two. I will however, try to make her sound more arrogant, even with Saitama. Glad you still managed to enjoy it. Thanks for the feedback!


	3. Chapter 3: The Cyborg

_**"Great. Not only do I have to fetch Baldy, I have to do it while watching out for mosquitoes."**_

Tatsumaki really hated bugs. Sure, her barrier protects her from the insects' miserable attacks and she can squish them without ever having to get close, but something about the things irks her to no end, so you can imagine her dismay when the news channel showed a swarm of mosquitoes, apparently a new species, headed straight to City Z where the Baldy resides, attacking creatures and leaving behind mummified remains. Oh well, she's not going to let some puny insects prevent her from keeping her word now is she? So she puts on her... hero uniform, I suppose, and heads to City Z.

* * *

As Tatsumaki arrived at the Baldy's doorstep, she couldn't help but feel disgusted. The corridor was cramped, the walls had... some sort of stain overall, the place just seemed abandoned. Well, I suppose it's called the ghost town for a reason, isn't it? Tatsumaki could only imagine how small the apartment was as she knocked on the door.

"Who's there?"

"It's me you idiot! Did you forget our appointment today?"

The door opened, revealing Saitama in a yellow t-shirt, dark green shorts and hideous sandals.

"You're kind of early Tatsumaki, sorry."

Indeed the ESPer arrived at the Baldy's doorstep at 9.30am, 1.5 hours earlier than intended.

"Didn't you see the news? There's a swarm of mosquitoes headed here and I want to get us both to the registration site before we have to deal with the bugs."

"Oh, okay. Just give me a few minutes, I have to water my cactus and get into my suit."

"A cactus? Are you serious? Those things only need a few drops of water every few days you idiot! Hurry up and change already!"

"Oh, I didn't know that. Give me a few seconds to change then."

 _ **"Unbelievable."**_

Tatsumaki couldn't tell if this guy really was this stupid or if he was backing out last minute. She didn't have to decide however as Saitama opened the door seconds later in his suit, confirming in her mind he really was that dumb.

"Okay, let's go"

"Uh, Tatsumaki? Could we grab something to eat first?"

"Did you forget what I said? There's a swarm of mosquitoes headed here that drained the blood out of any living creatures in their path! There are no shops open!"

"Man, I hate mosquitoes."

"Look, we'll have something to eat after your test, let's just hurry up and go."

"But what if I don't perform at my best?"

"THEN TOO BAD!"

 ***BOOM***

"That wasn't my stomach, I swear."

"... Let's go check it out."

* * *

In the middle of the city, a single man stood surrounded by ashes and flames. Only, this wasn't really a man, was it? No, not with those arms. It was a cyborg with blonde hair, golden eyes and mechanical arms that seems to have the ability to shoot flames.

"I am about to eliminate you. Stay where you are."

The cyborg's opponent? It can only be described as a mosquito/female human hybrid.

"You? Eliminate me? * **Chuckles*** GO AHEAD AND TRY!"

 **And I'm so sorry, but having to describe the fight is too difficult for a shitty writer like myself. Besides, I was going to be 100% unoriginal and have the exact same thing happen except Saitama doesn't arrive and get his clothes incinerated. Now lets skip forward to the cyborg self destructing**

"Forgive me, Doctor"

The mosquito... woman... thing, laughed as she dived in for the killing blow only to feel a slap on the cheek before exploding, leaving blood all over a building. That's... gonna be an annoying cleanup. The cyborg could only gawk at the sight, having been saved by someone, or something, that used a single attack.

"Mosquitoes. Suck. Badum-tsh."

"That was a horrible joke Baldy. Besides, I could've handled it myself."

The cyborg turned his head and saw the source of the voices. There was a female, floating in the air. She looked like she was a child, yet scans showed otherwise. In front of him was a man in a yellow jumpsuit, a white cape and red gloves and boots. His saviour, it would seem. A couple perhaps?

"Hey, you okay? You look pretty beat up."

"It's a robot, Baldy. It'll be fine! We have to get to the registration site now!"

"Oh come on Tatsumaki, the least we could do is bring him somewhere for repairs. Besides, there doesn't seem to be any more mosquitoes."

"Ugh, fine. Hey robot! Do you have anywhere you can be repaired?"

"Doctor Kuseno can repair me in a few minutes."

"Doctor who?"

* * *

"Thanks for bringing Genos to me you two."

The cyborg gave Tatsumaki and Saitama an address which Tatsumaki flew the three of them to. It was some kind of laboratory with a single man operating it. This man, was Doctor Kuseno. The second Saitama laid his eyes on the doctor, he had to stiffle a laugh. His hair could only be described as a large mushroom topping his relatively small head. He had a nose that could probably be used to poke someone and he wore a lab coat yet paired it with sandals, giving him quite a ridiculous look.

"Genos? Is that the robot's name?"

"Genos is more of a cyborg. And yes, that is his name."

"Okay, now that he's in safe hands, we should get to the registration site. Come along now Baldy!"

"Shouldn't we stay and help Tatsumaki? I mean, if we arrived earlier this wouldn't have happened."

"YOU WERE THE ONE THAT WANTED SOMETHING TO EAT YOU LIGHTBULB!"

"I didn't think the onigiri would take so long to be made. Besides, the two of us are fast, we can make it."

"Ugh, fine."

And so the two began assisting the Doctor in repairing Genos. Well, Tatsumaki did most of the work. With her powers, she was able to quickly get the Doctor any tools he required. With the machines and the doctor's own hands, Genos was repaired in about 30 minutes.

"NOW can we go?"

"Uh, yea sure."

As Saitama and Tatsumaki headed for the door, they were stopped by a fairly excited Genos.

"Hold on! Please tell me your name."

"It's Tatsuma-"

"Not you, the man who saved me."

"Oh, it's Saitama."

"I wish to be your disciple!"

"Oh, okay."

But before anything else could be said, Genos was flung into a wall, becoming quite a fabulous piece of modern art.

"Don't. Ignore me. You stupid cyborg!"

"Oh come on Tatsumaki, now we have to fix him again!"

"No, we don't. I didn't use that much force."

Genos slowly climbed out of the wall, quite pissed off.

"If it wasn't for the fact you seem to be friends with Teacher, I'd have eliminated you, brat."

And another piece of modern art was created that day.

"HOW DARE YOU! I'M OLDER THAN YOU YOU STUPID CYBORG."

Doctor Kuseno could only chuckle at this scene. It seems Genos will make his first friends sooner than he anticipated.

* * *

Tatsumaki entered the registration building, with Genos and Saitama following behind. As she headed to the front desk, many of the other applicants only stared. It seems they have heard of the great "Tornado of Terror". The lady at the counter, upon seeing Tatsumaki, stood up with her hands in the front as a form of respect.

"H-how may I help you Miss Tatsumaki?"

"Get these two tested as quickly as you can. I have other things to do and will not tolerate a wait any longer than an hour!"

Genos had insisted on tagging along with "Saitama Sensei", much to Tatsumaki's dismay. She didn't want to have to carry the metal trash that called her a brat. Thankfully though, he could use those flames of his to, in a way, fly. As they headed to the building, Saitama was telling Genos about how he was going to register and become an officially recognised hero. The cyborg decided that since he wanted to study under Saitama, it would be best to follow him as closely as possible. Since being a hero was considered a job, Genos figured if they both had the same job, they would have more time together and he could learn more about Sensei.

"But Miss Tatsumaki, there are at least 300 people waiting in line, it will take up to 2 hours for their turn."

"Are you stupid? TEST THEM FIRST! I HAVEN'T GOT ALL DAY!"

The lady, not wanting to piss off the great Tatsumaki, agreed, much to the 300 waiting's frustration. Of course, a few complained about how unfair it was, only to be shut up when the ESPer lifted them into the air, showing she is perfectly willing to crush them if they said another word.

 **Ack, I don't like doing this but basically the same thing happens during all the tests, with Saitama breaking all the records and equipment the Hero Association has. Skipping forward to the two receiving their results only Tatsumaki is in the room with them.**

"YOU GOT INTO S CLASS? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

Now Tatsumaki was pissed. That means every time the S classes had a meeting, she'd had to see the face of the idiot that called her a brat.

"S class? Isn't that the same as Tatsumaki?"

"No it isn't Baldy! I'm S class Rank 2, he's only rank 14! I'm still leagues above him!"

"Sensei, what's your rank?"

As Saitama pulled out his result sheet, the three noticed the curve starting to form.

"Oh, this means I'm-"

"Class S. I am not surprised. On top of that, the font is bigger than mine. I expect no less Sensei."

"Wait, what do you mean the font is bigger robot? Oh no... don't tell me..."

Tatsumaki, with her powers, took the result right out of the envelope, revealing that... Saitama was in fact a class... C.

"I see. I mistook the top half of the C as part of a S."

"STOP ANALYZING IT!"

"It... it must be a mistake. Both of you had my recommendation! AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE STRONGER THAN THIS STUPID ROBOT! HOW IS IT YOU'RE A CLASS C?"

As she looked down, she found her answer. 71 points. This stupid baldy managed to get full marks for the physical test, but only got 21 for the written test, meaning he had only just passed and with Tatsumaki's recommendation, he was placed in Class C rank 10.

"You... really are... a stupid Baldy."

"Hey you never told me there would be a written test, I would have studied."

"THERE IS NOTHING TO STUDY YOU STUPID BALDY! * **Sigh*** You know what, I'll go and talk to the ones in charge and have you take the cyborg's spot."

"It's fine Tatsumaki, rank doesn't matter."

"It does when you want to be recognised you idiot! Class C heroes are the weakest and are only used to deal with petty street crimes! Do you honestly want to waste your time on weekly quotas and helping grannies cross the street?"

"W... weekly quotas? Okay, maybe you should go talk to them. But can't Genos stay in S rank? He's pretty strong too."

"No way! I don't want to have to see his face every damn time we get called for a meeting!"

"Okay, tell you what, Genos, apologise to Tatsumaki."

"But Sensei, this child like-"

 ***SMASH***

"One more time, robot, and I'll make sure you can't be put back together."

"V-very well. I am sorry Tatsumaki."

"Okay, we good?"

"Fine, I accept. Now, I have some idiots to talk to."

* * *

After Tatsumaki "talked" some sense into the idiots in charge of ranking heroes, Saitama was placed into S class but was ranked 15th due to his score, despite Genos himself requesting to be put behind Saitama. The trio then headed out to City C for breakfast. Saitama had wanted to go to his favourite udon place in City Z, but considering Tatsumaki helped him get out of Class C with its weekly quotas, he didn't want to argue, lest she places him there again. Big surprise, they were in another cafe, one that sold pancakes.

"Hey Genos, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Sensei."

"Are you able to eat? You know, being a cyborg."

"Yes Sensei. You see, Doctor Kuseno wanted me to live as much of a normal life as possible, so he built a system for me so I can turn any food I eat into a sort of fuel for my body. He also built artificial taste receptors that are 99% accurate for me to be able to taste."

"Couldn't you just reply with a simple yes robot?"

"I have told you before, I am a cyborg. And while I suppose I could've, I wouldn't want Sensei to be confused."

 _ **"This robot is really starting to get on my nerves."**_

"Saitama Sensei, can I ask you something as well?"

"Oh, sure Genos."

"What parts do you use?"

"Uhm, I don't use any."

"Then what is that skin coloured armour on your head?"

"That's skin."

"Huh? But that would mean you went bald despite being so young.

"SO I'M BALD! WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?"

 _ **"Sheesh, is his baldness that sensitive of a problem? Maybe I should come up with bald nicknames."**_

"You're willing to listen to my problems?"

"No, it's fine."

 **Cut to Saitama cringing super hard and Tatsumaki finding amusement out of his face yet also getting slightly annoyed and Genos' stupidly long backstory.**

"ENOUGH YOU IDIOT! SHORTE-"

"Not so loudly egghead! We're in public."

"Oh, sorry. Genos for my sanity's sake, shorten it to 20 words or less"

"My apologies Sensei. In short, I wish to learn how to be as powerful as you to avenge my town."

"Do you always have such long explanations?"

"If Saitama Sensei and Tatsumaki wishes, I could recalibrate my systems to automatically shorten them in the future."

"Please do, Genos." + "You should have done that earlier, cyborg!"

* * *

And that's chapter 3! Sorry about the wait, I had an epic brainfart trying to figure out how to rewrite the story so things fit and even then I couldn't do it without messing up a few things. I know Tats and Saitama should have been at the Genos/mosquito girl fight since they were stupid fast but if that happened, Genos wouldn't have seen the full strength of mosquito girl and how easily Saitama dismissed him. It would have been far messier then. Anyway, I'm glad I managed to write something that you readers were able to enjoy, lord knows how hard that is. Hopefully chapter 4 isn't too hard to write.

One more thing, if you've noticed the severe lack of Marugori smashing Fukegao, I've decided _fuck it_ and had him destroyed by Tatsumaki when she went monster hunting to keep the growing realisation she may have just made a friend out of her mind because dear god I am not going to even attempt to incorporate that into the story. It would create a mess larger than the damage caused by canon Saitama vs brothers in terms of story. Anyway, thanks for reading!

I'm sorry, one last thing, do let me know what you think of me using bold, italic and ** in this chapter. I'm going to try and improve the flow by using more of these.

* * *

How does one respond to simple reviews like this without sounding extremely awkward or extremely cringe? I guess something like

Thank you for the kind words Crazypizzaguy, Lightningblade49 and Nicolas47, I'm glad you enjoyed.


	4. Chapter 4: Well that was easy

Having finished their meal, which consisted of delightfully fluffy pancakes with homemade syrup, freshly brewed tea and, thanks to Tatsumaki's constant visits to the cafe, complimentary desserts, the trio were about to head their seperate ways when Genos popped a question.

"Saitama Sensei."

"Yea Genos?"

"May I request residence in your home?"

"Why? Don't you have your own?"

"Yes Sensei, but if I am to learn from you, wouldn't it be better for me to be near you every hour of the day? That way, I won't miss anything that happens."

"Dude, you haven't seen my apartment, it is so small that I doubt you can fit in there."

"If you are worried about where I'll sleep Sensei, rest assured that I can sleep anywhere. Not only that, once I enter sleep mode, I don't even move, so you don't have to worry about me intruding you and Tatsumaki's sleep."

"What the hell makes you think I sleep in his apartment you idiot?"

"Are you not Sensei's spouse?"

"WHAT THE HELL GAVE YOU THAT IDEA?"

"Yea Genos, I'm just friends with her, that's all."

"My mistake, Sensei."

"But my answer is still no, Genos."

"But why Sensei?"

"Because I don't want an extra set of chores."

"Sensei, I could do both of our chores."

"Wait, you can do chores?"

"Why wouldn't I Sensei?"

"He probably thought you were a combat cyborg with no other talents."

"Uh, yea, what she said."

"As I said, Doctor Kuseno wanted me to have as human a life as possible, so he programmed me to be able to do every chore thinkable."

"Well... I would still have to cook for two, which means I have to buy more ingredients."

"I can do the groceries and cook as well, Sensei."

"Wait, you can? Cool! Alright then Genos, you can live with me!"

"Wow Baldy, you only accepted it when he offered to be your maid? I didn't think you were the scheming type."

"Do not insult Sensei, I am doing out of my own free will."

"Actually Genos, she's kind of right. I wouldn't want people thinking I'm keeping you around just to be a slave."

"I will incinerate those who tarnish your name, Sensei!"

"Genos, you can't kill people just because they insult me. That's just going to make them fear the both of us!"

To this, Genos pulled out a notebook and wrote down Saitama's words.

"My apologies Sensei, I have much to learn."

"Pfft, you took that as a lesson? It's common sense robot!"

"Cyborg."

"Same thing."

"No they're not, a cyborg is a-"

"Genos, I'm going to stop you right there, we are not going to have a long explanation about the difference between a cyborg and a robot."

"Sensei, I have my systems recalibrated already, it won't take any more than 20 words."

"No, it's fine. Tatsumaki is just joking, right Tatsumaki?"

"Whatever."

As they headed down the street, Genos suddenly got into a stance.

"Something fast is headed our way."

"What is it cybo-"

"It's here."

From out of no where came a giant praying mantis with a glass dome on it's head, exposing a human brain, scaring off the civilians.

"My name is Kamakyuri, and I am from the 'House of Evolution'. I am here for the-"

Kamakyuri was lifted into the air and was face to face with Tatsumaki.

"Did you say 'House of Evolution'?"

"House of what?"

"Of evolution, Sensei."

"Y-yes. I was sent by my creator to fetch the bald man. Move out of the way, heroine, or you will be crushed."

"Me? Crushed by the likes of you? In your dreams bug."

"Not me, by them."

Saitama was suddenly dragged into the ground and Genos was swatted away by a big metal arm. Tatsumaki turned around to see 3 new faces. A giant lion/man thing, a mole and some kind of robot gorilla

"Step away 'Tornado of Terror', we're only here for the bald guy."

 **Oh great, it appears the gorilla has a cliche robot voice. Kill me now.**

Said bald guy was yawning. He found being in the ground to be warm and comfy. He wondered if this was how bamboo shoots felt.

"Unfortunately for you, the 'Hero Association' has your group on the wanted list. As S class Rank 2, I can't just 'Step away'."

Saying this, she launched the mantis right at the lion, who caught it with it's large hands... paws? Yea, paws, crushing one of the mantis' legs in the process.

"Oh, sorry about that. Slugerous, take Kamakyuri back to base, Ground dragon, watch the target. Armoured gorilla, you'll deal with the cyborg. I'll deal with the heroine."

He handed the insect to another creature that came out of nowhere, you guessed it, a slug, who had appeared alongside some kind of frog. Where the hell did they even come from?

 _ **"What the hell are these names?.**_ _ **The 'Hero Association' told me the guy in charge was some kind of genius. I guess they were wrong."**_

"Well then heroine, let's see if you truly are a terror or if you're just little girl with powers."

"Oh, you shouldn't have said that."

"What do you mean, bald guy?"

The lion suddenly felt it's muscles tighten. Tatsumaki was floating high enough to look him in the eye.

"Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be compacted into a ball? Well, you'll find out!

Before the ESPer could teach the lion a lesson however, the metal gorilla, now limbless and with the gorilla's head showing, flew right into it, with both of them smashing into the side of a building.

"Oh shit, what happened to 'Armoured Gorilla'?"

The smaller creatures were now in shock, their second best fighter was defeated. Genos jumped back to where he was standing, worried about Saitama.

"Sensei! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Genos. I kinda feel like a bamboo shoot."

"Let me see if I can get you out Sensei."

"No need."

With seemingly no effort at all, Saitama walked right out of the ground, shaking some dirt out of his belt in the process, further shocking the creatures. Perhaps they weren't used to the mole's dirt prison not working.

"You know, you could've just asked instead of attacking us. So, where's this house of yours?"

"Wait, you'll come just like that?"

Apparently the gorilla was still alive.

"Hey, what happened to your robot voice?"

"Sorry, I was just trying to sound cool."

"Baldy, you're new so I'm not surprised you don't know, but the 'House of Evolution' isn't a literal house, it's an evil organization that has been wanted by the 'Hero Association' for months, but we've never been able to find their hideout. They probably want to do tests on you or something."

"Oh. Well, I don't have time tomorrow, there'll be a sale going on. Might as well go now."

"Perhaps you didn't hear me Baldy, I said EVIL organization."

"Yea I know, we can go and destroy it now. This can be my first act as an officially recognised hero!"

The lion laughed.

"As if we'll let you. The doctor said to bring you in dead or alive, I guess I, the Beast King, will take you in DEAD!"

"Did you forget about me, you stupid cat?"

The Beast King once again felt it's muscles tighten.

"Now, are you going to show us where it is, or shall I kick your feline ass straight back to the jungle you came from?"

"Tatsumaki, I do not think that is necessary."

"And why do you say that cyborg?"

Genos made sure to have everyone's attention before turning to Saitama.

"Sensei! I would like to have a battle with you!"

"Huh?"

"In order to become the strongest, I must fight the strongest. Therefore, I wish to have a fight with you!"

"Hey, this could actually work! I could record the fight for Doctor Genus to analyse."

"Fat chance ape! If any of you think I, as a representative of the Hero Association, will allow you to continue your evil deeds, then dream o-"

"What if we were to work with the association?"

"Say what now kitty cat?"

"Well, Doctor Genus' mission is to help humanity evolve. Imagine what good we could do if we were to work with the government."

"... Contact that doctor of yours, I'll inform the Hero Association. But I'm warning you, if any of you try something funny, I'll crush you all."

Despite her relative cuteness, in that moment, Tatsumaki had an aura that scared even Genos although, that may be because he was turned into modern art twice. Of course, Saitama didn't care and was just picking his nose.

"Well that was easy, and no one had to die too!"

"Sensei, can we still have that fight?"

"Oh, sure thing Genos. You got anywhere in mind?"

"Actually Sensei, I spotted a canyon near City Z the first time I was there. We could have our battle there."

"Oh, alright. Hey, you guys wanna come watch?"

Everyone nodded their head, including Tatsumaki. She figured she had nothing to do anyway, might as well see if recommending the cyborg was worth it.

* * *

The group found themselves in a large open canyon. The sheer size of it all was majestic and gave quite an astounding view.

"Thank you for agreeing to my unreasonable request, Sensei."

"Yea well, I did agree to make you my disciple. Is here okay?"

"Yes Sensei!"

"So uh, we're just having a practise bout, right? Not fighting for real?"

"That's what I had in mind Sensei, but-"

Suddenly, a drone of some sort came over the canyon, dropping off a black box beside Genos. The cyborg clicked the suit open and in an instant, his entire upper body was transformed.

"I want you to go all out, so I too, will give it my all."

Genos' arms and chest starting to glow a bright orange as he entered a battle stance, almost as if there was magma running throughout his body.

 _ **"Oh, Genos got new parts." + "Huh, the cyborg has new flashier parts."**_

The battle began. Tatsumaki with her powers quickly moved herself and the House of Evolution's creatures to a safe distance in the air to watch.

Flames erupted from Genos' shoulders, creating an explosion behind the cyborg as he launched his first attack with astonishing speed. Saitama dodged the cyborg's kick by doing a 90 degree arch with his knee, as if he was lying down on a bed.

Genos, realising he had missed, activated the thrusters on his palms, using the fire to control his momentum, turning himself around. Doing a full 720 degree turn before attempting, and once again missing, another kick to Saitama's face. As Saitama ducked, he found himself rather interested in Genos' abilities.

With another massive explosion, Genos sent himself flying upwards, charging his leg with electricity, and sending it straight down to Saitama. The resulting attack produced visible lightning and blew the surrounding ground high into the sky, providing quite a view for the spectators.

Before the cloud of smoke cleared, a beam of fire was sent Saitama's way who, of course, dodged it at the very last second. The attack singed a significant part of the ground in front of Genos, and the forest behind Saitama.

"That was close, my clothes could have got burnt"

Saitama had nonchalantly landed in front of Genos, who let out a frustrated breath of air.

 _ **"I need more speed!"**_

Genos put his palms to the earth, and charged himself once more. Flames were once again coming out of his shoulder and he had lightning forming under his palm as he rose above the ground before quickly disappearing, leaving lightning where he stood. Saitama quickly followed his student, leaving behind an afterimage.

As the two moved around at speeds that made it hard for any of the spectators to follow, it seemed as if Genos had the upperhand with Saitama not even so much as responding. As Genos punched holes into a wall, he suddenly stopped, realising Saitama had disappeared, much to the shock of the spectators.

 _ **"He's gone? Have I been chasing his afterimage the whole time?" + "Damn this Baldy is fast, where is he anyway?"**_

Genos quickly turned around, scanning the ground for his teacher. Tatsumaki and the creatures were also looking for the Baldy who seemingly disappeared.

 _ **"There!" x Everyone**_

Genos quickly launched himself in front of Saitama, who, upon seeing his disciple had found him, stopped running. Genos clasped his hands together, revealing 3 layers of canons.

"Incinerate!"

A large cone of fire came from the cyborg, who's hair was being blasted back by the sheer force of the flame.

 **I got him this time. Master will have to take me more seriously no-behind!" _\+ "Oh, looks like he got the baldy in the- wait, behind him!"_**

Saitama tapped Genos' shoulder and stuck out his index finger, which touched Genos' cheek.

"Okay, I win."

Genos launched another punch at Saitama who, in the blink of an eye, dodged it, landing behind the cyborg in quite a comical manner as he tried to regain his balance.

"Sensei."

"Yeah?"

"Have you forgotten the rules of the bout? Dodge any attack you are able to dodge, take is seriously and do not fool around. Do not hold back, and keep fighting until I am no longer able to fight.

Saitama only stood there with his blank expression and his arms crossed, trying to make it seem like he's taking it seriously.

"Show me no mercy."

Saitama bent his ankle ever so slightly, that only the spectators above could notice it.

 _ **"Finally, the Baldy's going to attack." + "Sensei has powers that even my analysis cannot find the secret to. Perhaps this fight will give me some insight into it."**_

"Those were the rules, Sense-"

Genos was cut off when Saitama suddenly appeared right in front of him, surprising him and the spectators. He launched a kick that didn't connect, as Saitama appeared behind him, shocking even Tatsumaki with his display of speed.

"What the-"

That was all the shocked cyborg could say before Saitama, with an aura that could only be described in one word, death, launched a punch right at him. Genos and the spectators suddenly realised, this may well kill the opposition.

But before the punch could connect, Saitama stopped, launching a shockwave that blew past the cyborg, giving him a brand new hair style and leaving him in utter shock. Saitama lightly tapped Genos' still face with the back of his hand.

"That fight made me hungry, let's go grab some lunch. I know of a great udon place!"

A simple okay was all the cyborg could muster, as he and the spectators turned to look in the direction of Saitama's punch.

 _ **"I'm prepared to do anything in order to get stronger... but, I can't picture myself even approaching Sensei's power. Not at all."**_

As the dust cleared, all of their eyes widened in shock. The mountain behind Genos, and the mountain behind that mountain, and the one behind that, along with the clouds above said mountains, were cleaved in half.

 _ **"He's on a different level..."**_

"What's the matter, you don't like udon?"

"N-no Sensei, I'm fine with whatever you want."

"Then come on, I'm starving. Hey, you guys wanna come along too?"

Tatsumaki lowered herself and the creatures to the ground and they prepared to bombard the shit out of Saitama with questions.

"WHAT THE HELL BALDY! THAT WAS JUST THE VELOCITY OF YOUR PUNCH! WERE YOU **_TRYING_** TO KILL THE CYBORG?"

Saitama could only stand there with his trademark poker face as the group continued to question him, until Genos stepped in.

"Saitama Sensei said he was hungry, can we leave the questions until we are able to dine?"

"Well, I suppose we could grab something to eat. Wait, what about these things?"

Tatsumaki pointed towards the House of Evolution members, to which all of them looked at her with a questioning gaze.

"There's no way we can eat with these guys around, people will just scream their lungs out the moment they laid eyes on them!"

"Oh, I suppose that's true. Hey, does this Hero Association thing have a cafeteria with udon in it? Maybe both the leaders can join us."

"Well, I suppose there's no harm in trying, let me make a quick call."

* * *

And that's the chapter. I hope it's not to confusing. Boy, I am really starting to regret the whole "just write what comes to your head" approach I'm having. Having to rewrite the story and trying to make sense of it without having the timeline be completely wrong is just plain annoying. Anyway, I wanted to ask you guys something. For small little events, should I make filler chapters? Things such as "Hammerhead" or Tatsumaki shittalking the shit out of the Hero Association's in charge and other things I don't feel like are needed in the story that I can write some other time basically. Maybe make an entire new story just for them so people won't have to deal with the fillers interrupting the story.

Also, I realised I made a truck ton of mistakes in chapter 1, and will be rewriting them. Don't worry, I'm only referring to things about the story say for example, Tatsumaki mentioning agoni's SON (Goddamnit) was saved by a crab monster. I realised Saitama right there and then should've figured it out, my bad. My other mistakes (Bad writing and such) will stay there so reviews won't be confusing. Just wanted to mention this so if anyone for some reason decides to re read the story, you won't suddenly be curious about a small change.

One more thing, thanks to everyone who read my story and even favourited it, I'm glad I managed to interest you all with my abhorrent writing. Welp, that's enough with this author's note. Do let me know what you think about the filler chapters idea!


	5. Chapter 5: The Meteor

"So this is what you humans call udon? It is quite delectable."

Tatsumaki had somehow gotten permission from the Hero Association for all of them, monsters included, to dine in the Z branch's cafeteria. Not only that, she managed to get someone to order udon from the specific store Saitama loved so much. Perhaps the association was just that afraid of the ESPer.

"I know right? And to think you guys never had any proper human food until now. Good thing Tatsumaki managed to get us into this place."

"And I didn't even get a single thanks from anyone here."

"Oh, right, I was so engrossed in the food, I forgot to thank you. Sorry about that."

"It's never too late to thank someone you know."

...

"Hey Baldy, you forgot to say it again."

 _ **"Perhaps Sensei is not good at giving thanks."**_

"As Saitama Sensei's pupil, I thank you on his behalf."

"Hmph, at least one of you has manners."

"Oh, thanks Genos. I forgot again."

 _ **"I see, Sensei not only looks old, he has the memory of one who is older too. I must remember to help Sensei in such things in the future."**_

Apparently the cyborg was a little bit too human sometimes, for the grin he had plastered on gave his thoughts away to Saitama and the others.

"I'm not old Genos. I mean it. It's just the food."

"Heh, you say that bald dude, but if someone can instantly forget something, there's no other way to describe it. You're just old."

"DAMN IT LION, I WILL PUNCH YOU!"

And with that, no one dared to say a word about Saitama's questionable memory, for the recent battle between Genos and the Baldy lingered in their mind. The group continued to dine on the udon, which they all agreed, even Tatsumaki and her ridiculous sweet tooth, was a fantastic choice on Saitama's part. Who knew someone with such horrendous taste in fashion could have standard in food.

As the group finished their meal, Tatsumaki decided she was bored, and struck up a conversation with the creatures.

"So, where did all of you come from anyway?"

The first to speak was Armoured Gorilla, with warning from Saitama of course. He did not want another 2000 word explanation.

"I was an ordinary Gorilla when the doctor found me. He granted me human intelligence, thus giving me the ability to speak. He then created this suit, which enhanced my already extraordinary strength and durability."

Next was the lion.

"Like Armoured Gorilla, I was a simple lion. I too was granted human intelligence, only instead of a suit, some kind of liquid was injected into me, mutating me into what I am now. That is to say, far stronger and faster than any normal human. And might I add, far more handsome."

Cue a truck ton of cringe from everyone. All the creatures essentially had the same story, which really started to bore our human heroes, with all of them being normal animals granted human intelligence, therefore the ability to speak. The only difference was that the lion and gorilla were mutated and given a suit respectively, while the others simply had their already natural abilities enhanced, with the mole's digging prowess and keen sense of smell upgraded, the frog's poisonous touch now controllable, and the slug's... actually he was just given a stronger form of telepathy. And yes, apparently all of the creatures had telepathy in the form of satellite dishes in their brain.

"So uh, are there any more of you or is this all there is?"

"Well... there is one that is more powerful than I. His name is Carnage Kabuto, he is currently imprisoned in our base."

"Why would you imprison one of your own?"

"Because... Kabuto is..."

The heroes noticed how all the creatures suddenly had fear in their eyes.

"You see," continued the lion.

"Kabuto was once a human, but his obsession with beetles turned him into one. Doctor Genus, seeing potential with Kabuto, experimented on him much more inhumanely. They figured since he already had the brain of a human, he would be able to withstand more than the rest of us. They were right of course. With these experiments, Kabuto gained unparalleled strength, speed and intelligence. He was the epitome of human evolution. And yet, Doctor Genus considers him his greatest failure.

"And why is that, kitty?"

"I'm getting there. With his strength came a price, Kabuto was now a shadow of his human self. He was insane, he was inhumane. He lacked everything that made a human, human. Doctor Genus considered him a failure because what good was unparalleled strength, if humans were no longer humans. Do you understand?"

The heroes nodded in understanding. Genos had one more question though.

"Did this Doctor Genus happen to create a mosquito, female human hybrid?"

"Ah, you mean Mosquito Girl. That is why we came to find this bald ma-"

"Can you just call me Saitama you stupid cat, or do I have to punch it into your memory?"

"Uh, of course. Anyway, that is precisely why the doctor is interested in your body."

...

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not into dudes. And Gorilla dude, if you recorded my fight just so your boss can ma-"

"Sensei, I think you are mistaken." + "THAT'S NOT WHAT HE MEANT YOU STUPID BALDY!"

"Huh?"

"Yea, what they said. I mean the doctor is interested in your strength and how you achieved it."

"Oh, that's all he wanted? You could've just asked."

 _ **"Is Sensei really going to reveal his secret to these creatures?" + "Baldy, if you're gonna do what I think you're gonna do, stop before I kill you." +"Wait, he's willing to just tell us? Wow we wasted our time trying to fight them."x6**_

"Genos, you should listen too."

Genos whipped out his notebook at his Sensei's instructions.

"First off, make su-"

Before Saitama could reveal his secrets, an old man with with spiky gray hair and a bushy moustache to match walked through the door.

"Ah, Tatsumaki. It's a good thing you're here. Oh, and it appears the new recruits are here as well."

"Eh, who's this old dude Genos?"

"That's S class Rank 3 Silver Fang, Sensei."

"What are you doing here, Bang? What is going on?"

"Surely you've heard of the meteor, Tatsumaki?"

"Yea, the one that will be passing earth, what of it B..."

"Ah, it seems you've figured it out on your own."

"Did the idiots seriously miscalculate, and now it's headed right for us?"

"Apparently it suddenly changed trajectory, though your statement is the one I myself chose to believe."

"How bad is it old dude?"

"HE IS SILVER FANG TO YOU, BALDY!"

 _ **"It seems even Tatsumaki respects this hero. He must be a true master of his art."**_

"Oh, sorry."

"No worries. You must be Saitama, call me Bang, I never preferred my hero name. As to your question,the threat level is Dragon, a worst-case scenario. 35 minutes from now, the meteor will strike City Z. All S class heroes have been called to see if they could do anything about it."

"Where are the others Bang?"

"Everyone else is at headquarters, Tatsumaki."

"What? Why?"

"Perhaps they are too far away. Perhaps they are too busy. Perhaps, the more cold blooded ones simply couldn't care."

"Hmph. Perhaps they are just scared they would be too weak to do anything."

"Whatever the case Tatsumaki, we should deal with the threat as soon as possible. The association has estimated that the impact area will destroy even neighbouring cities."

"Yo Tats, want me and Genos to come along? We might be able to help."

"Are you underestimating me, Baldy? And what did you just call me?"

"Uh, no. I just figured it'd be wrong for me and Genos, as heroes, to just sit here and do nothing. And uhm, I kinda got tired of saying your full name, sorry."

"... Fine. You can come watch, but your robot should stay here. We wouldn't want the experiments to run away, would we?"

 _ **"Interesting, Tatsumaki is fine with this man referring to her as Tats. It seems those rumours were wrong after all."**_

"It's fine Tatsumaki. I have ensured that our guests are taken to a shelter where they will be treated properly. They wouldn't have any reason to go elsewhere. You lot stay here, someone will come and escort you soon."

"Hey, listen to the old guy! Or else..."

With Saitama's words, the creatures nodded as fast as they could. There was no way in hell they were gonna try and mess with him.

 _ **"There might be something to him after all."**_

"Shall we go?"

* * *

Bang, Tatsumaki, Saitama and Genos were on the roof of a building, watching as the rock in the sky grew larger and larger.

"Hmph, is that what they're so worried about? Can that thing really annihilate City Z?"

"You forget, Tatsumaki, that unlike you, we are just ordinary humans. That meteor may be a pebble to you, but it spells disaster for the rest of us."

"Hmph. All of you, stay back."

Bang and Genos moved a few steps back, but Saitama remained where he stood.

"Didn't you hear me, I said stay back!"

"I'll be fine Tats, plus, this is a great view."

Contemplating whether he meant the meteor or her... never mind, definitely the meteor, Tatsumaki prepared to crush the space rock, when suddenly something flew past her. The UFO flew around a bit before it landed in front of Tatsumaki, revealing itself to be some big ass robot with 3 red eyes and a backpack of missiles.

"Metal Knight? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Tornado, have you come to stop the meteor too?"

"Yea, now get out of my way!"

 _ **"S class Rank 7, Metal Knight. A hero who uses overwhelming firepower to obliterate any foe along with everything in their vicinity. Is he here to risk his life too?"**_

"I refuse."

"Do you have a death wish, Bof-"

"Only refer to me by my hero name, Tornado. And no, I am simply here to test my weapons. The meteor is a perfect target."

"Hmph, fine. Just hurry it up."

As the meteor entered earth's atmosphere, the missiles on Metal Knight's back prepared to launch.

"Firing missiles!"

The missiles took off, leaving behind trails of smoke. The heroes watched as the missiles hit the meteor, causing a huge explosion, blinding the heroes who shielded their eyes. The giant mushroom cloud left behind informed them that the missiles were nuclear powered.

 _ **"Amazing. Such destructive power. He is truly deserving of-"**_

"Hey Bofoi, your missiles failed."

 _ **"What?"**_

As the smoke cleared, the meteor reappeared, relatively unscathed, and was headed straight towards the heroes at full speed.

"Not quite potent enough, eh?"

"Hmph. Step aside, Metal Knight."

Tatsumaki floated into the air, and prepared to smash the meteor into dust. A green glow outlined the meteor, and the heroes watched as S class Rank 2, Tornado of Terror... had no effect on the meteor?

"Tatsumaki, what's wrong?"

"I-I can't control it. It's as if... there's a force around it."

Tatsumaki was really pissed now, somehow, the meteor was resisting her power. She could control other meteors far larger than it, so what was preventing her from doing the same now? Soon the strain she was putting on her body took over, she was about to collapse again. Before she could pass out though, she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder, bringing her down to ground level.

"Don't push yourself Tats. I got this."

Saitama walked forward and bent his knees. Bang watched in amazement as he jumped straight towards the meteor, leaving a crater where he stood.

"You're not. Gonna fall. ON MY TOWN!"

Saitama pulled back his fist, and launched a strike that pierced through the meteor. The rock exploded in a majestic blue light, shocking all who were watching.

"Incredible! He shattered it! But-"

Pieces of the meteor were raining down on City Z. Before any of them could hit however, they were stopped midair by Tatsumaki.

"That's... all I can... do." She said between breaths.

"Do not worry, I will destroy them."

"Count me in too, Genos."

Bang and Genos launched themselves towards the meteor pieces, smashing and incinerating them respectively. Tatsumaki watched as Saitama landed in the street below, this time, not even scratching the floor he landed on.

Saitama looked up to Bang and Genos destroying pieces of the meteor that were floating mid air. For some reason though, some of the pieces were slowly falling to the ground. Turning around to see a tired Tatsumaki, Saitama put two and two together. He jumped into the air and assisted the two heroes in smashing the debris. In less than 30 seconds, all the pieces were destroyed, and the three heroes jumped back to the roof Tatsumaki was sitting, yes, sitting on.

"Yo Tats, thanks for keeping the rocks from hitting the city for so long. Who knows how much damage they could've done."

"It was the least I could do."

"No it wasn't. Even I could see how tired you were. You must've used all your strength on trying to break that meteor."

...

"I don't get it.

"Huh?"

"How is it I couldn't destroy it, when I handled far larger threats, and yet you smashed it with ease? You didn't just smash it either, you went straight through!"

Even more silence.

"Well... you said it yourself Tats. There was some kind of force preventing you from destroying it."

"Perhaps the "sudden change in trajectory" had something to do with it Tatsumaki."

"Are you suggesting something out there not only moved a meteor, they were strong enough to resist my influence?"

"The universe is huge Tatsumaki, you never know."

Tatsumaki's ego was starting to hurt. First vaccine man, now a piece of rock that wasn't even a fraction of the size of her record. And that time, she moved it while it was in space! FOR FUN.

"Eh, don't worry too much about it Tatsumaki. You gave it your all, and that's what matters."

The ESPer turned her head to insult the baldy, something about how she was stronger than this, but something about his words just... stopped her from saying a thing. They seemed comforting, rather than insulting. Or perhaps it's the hilarious sight of the cyborg scribbling down Saitama's words like they were gold advice.

"...Thanks Baldy."

"Okay, can you stop that?"

"Stop what?

"Stop calling me Baldy."

"But you are one."

"Well you're a midget, do you hear me calling you that?"

"You just did!"

"That's not my point Tats."

...

"Fine, Baldy."

"Hey!"

"That was the last one until you do something stupid, Saitama."

"Oh, okay."

 _ **"Hmm, maybe someone has finally gotten to Tatsumaki."**_

"Sensei!"

"Yea Genos?"

"I have just been informed that Doctor Genus in at the Hero Association. They are requesting our presence."

"Oh, okay. Hey Tats, you coming or do you wanna rest for today?"

"Hmph. I've rested enough."

"Alright, let's go. See you Bang!"

"Goodbye you three. And Tatsumaki?"

"What is it Bang?"

"Stay safe."

Goddamnit, his grandpa-iness is revealing itself.

"You don't have to worry about me, Bang."

 _ **"Oh, I'm afraid I do."**_

* * *

And that's a new chapter! First off, I wanna apologise for my poor writing in chapter 4. I just skimmed through it and realised that is was so damn shit. In fact, I was wondering if I should have some kind of remaster once I get this story past the... you know what arc.

Anyway, I'm gonna address something here, those of you wondering why the all powerful Tornado of Terror couldn't smash this stupid meteor, it's my belief due to the "it suddenly changed trajectory" line that something, perhaps a powerful pschic(?), moved the meteor straight to earth. Perhaps as a warning? Eh? Eh?

One more thing, I deleted that introduction thing and realised I completely forgot to post the stories that inspired me somewhere else so I'll just have a category here to be updated form this chapter onwards. I thank you all once again for your time.

* * *

The Bald and The Esper: s/11725053/1/The-Bald-and-The-Esper

The Strongest Hero: s/12494528/1/The-Strongest-Hero


	6. Chapter 6: Carnage

"Ah, the Tornado of Terror. So glad you could join us."

Tatsumaki, Saitama and Genos were back at the Hero Association's Z building, where a scrawny bespectacled man was there to greet them.

"Who the hell are you?" enquired the ESPer.

"Oh, surely you've figured that out by now, Tornado of Terror."

"...Are you the one in charge of the House of Evolution, Doctor Genus?"

"Indeed I am. You're as smart as they say." the man known as Doctor Genus sarcastically remarked.

"But I'm not here for you, Tornado. I'm here for this fine gentleman."

The doctor walked over to Saitama, who was pondering on what to get from today's sale whilst digging his nose.

"You are the one who destroyed my creation with one attack, are you not?"

"Huh? You talking to me?"

"Sensei, I believe he is referring to the mosquito woman hybrid you defeated."

"Indeed I am. So tell me, are you the one who defea-"

The doctor was suddenly hovering a few inches above the ground, and was facing a pissed off ESPer.

"First of all, how dare you address me with such a tone, then proceed to ignore me. Second of all, what do you want?"

"Ah, straight to the point, I see. Well, as I was about to explain, I am curious as to how this man was able to defeat my creation with one attack. Whilst she was in her most powerful form, no less, especially since this here cyborg was unable to compete with her. As my goal is to help humanity evolve, I wish to run some tests with this exceptional specimen."

"Uh, listen dude, if you want me to help you, you don't have to butter me up. Just tell me what you want, and if it doesn't take too long, I'll do it. I have a sale to catch so make it quick, will you?"

"Hmm, are all you heroes so impatient? Very well. I simply want you to go against my strongest creation, to see if you are indeed worth my time. If you can survive against Carnage Kabuto for more than 5 minutes, then I will begin experimenting on your body."

Genos, Tatsumaki, and Doctor Genus waited in anticipation for Saitama's decision. The bald hero, who looked oh so bored while the doctor was telling him his offer, had his hand to his chin.

"By experiments, you don't mean anything to do with sex do you? Because I'm not into du-"

"DAMN IT EGGHEAD WE ALREADY TOLD YOU BEFORE THAT'S NOT WHAT HE MEANT!"

"Hey, didn't we agree to call me Saitama Tats?"

"No, we agreed not to call you Baldy! I still have a plethora of names to call you, Avocado head!"

"Tats, that's not how you treat a-"

"Ahem. I hate to interrupt, but could we hurry up? If Kabuto is left unattended any longer, all the clones I have distracting him will most likely die."

* * *

And so, with Genos and Saitama running on foot, and Tatsumaki and Doctor Genus in the air, the group headed to the House of Evolution's base, which turns out to be an 8 stories high building in the middle of a forest.

 _ **"So much for a secret base. What took those idiots so long to find it?"**_

As the heroes followed the doctor into the building, they realised the floor was completely empty, save the 5 creatures the heroes had... befriended? Yea, befriended. As well as a familiar bug. Said bug was currently hiding behind the Beast King, looking at the heroes, specifically Saitama, with fear in her eyes.

"Oh, she's alive?"

"Indeed she is, for you see, I have the ability to clone them, and due to a system I set up, with all their previous memories intact, with absolutely no side effects, whatsoever. If you want, I can show you how I do-"

"Nah, lets just get this over with. Oh, before we do,"

Saitama walked over to Mosquito Girl, who hid herself even further behind the Beast King, almost like a child hiding behind their parent.

"Hey, sorry for uh... killing you I guess. As long as you don't hurt anyone else, we can be friends, okay?"

The hybrid still dare not show her face. The Beast King, noticing just how scared she is, tried to comfort her.

"It's okay Mosquito Girl, he's not that bad once you get on his good side."

The still fearful Mosquito Girl slowly stepped out of the Beast King's shadow, and approached Saitama, who retained that blank look in his eyes, with absolutely no intent of hurting her showing.

"I...I'm Mos-Mosquito Girl... Nice to... meet you."

"Name's Saitama, sorry we got off on the wrong foot."

"My apologies Saitama, but we must hurry. You can speak with Mosquito Girl another time."

As the heroes followed Doctor Genus down a staircase, which was revealed when the floor retracted due to the doctor pressing a switch in his hands, the other creatures stood rooted to their spots.

"I wonder if he'll be able to handle Kabuto."

"We witnessed his power firsthand Slugerous. I have no doubt that Saitama will be the one to finally make Kabuto human again."

"But Beast King, what if the reason he dodged all the cyborg's attacks was because he wouldn't be able to survive them? If Kabuto lands a hit, our plan might be finished!"

"Such power does not come without durability to match Frog Man. I calculated that if a normal human were to punch with that much force, his own arm would have torn off."

"We'll just have to wait and see Armoured Gorilla. Now then, we should head upstairs. We can watch their battle unfold from a safe distance."

And so, the creatures followed the Beast King's suggestion, and climbed to the second floor, where screens were showing the live feeds of cameras in a giant, white room, and wondered if Saitama will be able to scar the insane beast into being humane, just like he did them.

* * *

In front of the heroes was a long hallway, with lights on either side, giving the place a weird feeling of dread.

"Man, this basement is big! Now I'm all hyped up!"

"Then we should hurry Saitama, I don't know how much longer my clones can-"

"Sensei, I detect a life form approaching."

"Oh no, we're too late."

The lights at the end of the tunnels went out, along with the sound of glass shattering.

"WHICH ONE DOES THE ORIGINAL WANT?"

"Th-the bald one..."

"THEN WE DON'T NEED THE OTHERS!"

The screaming voice came from a giant, brown, beetle-man hybrid, with a face even a mother would find hard to love, and a horn protruding out of his head. Said hybrid flung Doctor Genus, a clone of the original that is, at out heroes, who successfully moved out of the projectile's way

"I will protect you Sensei!"

Genos ran to face the beetle, only to be smashed straight into the wall. Poor guy didn't even have time to react.

"Genos? You okay dude?"

"YOU! THERE'S A ROOM WE USE FOR COMBAT! WE WILL FIGHT THERE!"

Saitama turned to face Carnage Kabuto. His face was serious.

"You turned Genos into modern art. The fight is on."

Kabuto's face contorted with excitement. Finally, he could have a fight with something other than a cloned ragdoll

"Why not just take him on here, egghead?"

"Well, I did agree to a test. I don't think this hallway is the best place to do it."

"Hmph! Fine egghead, let's go."

"You don't have to follow if you don't want to Tats."

"I'm bored. I might as well watch. It's probably better than staying here to take care of the stupid cyborg."

"Oh yea, hey genius guy, take care of Genos."

* * *

"HUGE AIN'T IT!"

Tatsumaki and Saitama were in a giant white room. The place was empty, bar them and Kabuto.

"IT'S THE BIGGEST ROOM IN THE FACILITY. IT'S USED TO TEST OUR COMBAT ABILITIES."

Tatsumaki was near the entrance to the room, watching as Saitama moved himself into position.

"So... Shall we begin our death match?"

 ***BOOM***

Flames engulfed Carnage Kabuto and scorched the ground beneath him. Though the creature was unharmed.

"Oh, you're still alive?"

"Cyborg? What are you-"

Genos was supporting himself against the side of the entrance. He had fired a blast from his arm, and looked quite tired. I guess being turned into modern art puts a strain on your body. He took a breath, before launching himself towards Kabuto.

The cyborg attacked Kabuto, but found himself ricocheting off the latter's tough exterior. Genos launched himself forward, blasting the beetle with fire while strafing right.

Genos, with all the strength he could muster jumped and pulled back his fist, intent on finishing off Kabuto with one blow, but while his body was on fire, he looked at the cyborg with a smile, letting all in the room know, he felt no pain.

"You moron." said Kabuto with a murderous glint in his eyes.

"Machine gun Blow!"

Genos threw tens of punches at incredible speeds but it was not enough, as Kabuto simply punched the cyborg to the floor, causing him to bounce like a pebble on a river, all the way to Saitama, who caught him in his arms.

"I failed... that thing... let me-"

"Your face is broken dude, just take it easy and let me-"

Genos charged his arms for one last shot, taking up most of his energy. Kabuto however, was not impressed, and simply blew the fire back at the sender.

"With his breath? Impossi-" Genos was cut off, as both he and Saitama were engulfed in flames. The fire cleared, revealing Saitama and Genos, who were shielded by a green barrier.

"Honestly cyborg, just let the octopus do his thing, will you?"

"Yea Genos, listen to Tats."

The beetle, seeing the cyborg all beat, laughed and stuck out his tongue in a mocking manner.

"You put up quite a promising performance, didn't you?" Saitama asked in a mocking fashion.

"Just bring it already, show me your full power!" taunted the beetle.

Tatsumaki watched as the loony smiled at Saitama, noticing a familiar presence behind her.

"I was wondering where the hell you were. You missed the cyborg being outclassed, no thanks to you not watching over him."

"It is to be expected. The strongest being, the demon created by MY House of Evolution, Carnage Kabuto, cannot be matched by a simple cyborg."

The doctor had a maniacal smile on his face, you know, the one mad scientists have when they witness their creation. Tatsumaki could only laugh internally. The strongest being? Oh please, she could have squished the thing if Saitama didn't insist of fighting it.

 _ **"How will you, a human, albeit one that tops all others, fare against my creation, man in it's final evolved form? Will you be the gate to humanity's long overdue evolution, or just another failure? Show me... Saitama."**_

"I can tell, I can tell! You're strong aren't ya?" Kabuto cockily aimed two finger guns at Saitama, who walked towards him.

"You'd better not disappoint me."

"Eh?"

"You're this place's ultimate weapon right? You're clearly not the same as the others. Look at you, brimming with confidence."

Kabuto chuckled, before disappearing with astonishing speed.

 _ **"He's fast."**_ thought Genos and Tatsumaki. **_"But not as fast as Sensei" + "But not as fast as egghead's display."_**

Kabuto appeared behind Saitama, ready to end him with a punch, but to everyone's surprise, he flew all the way to the other side of the room and hugged the wall, with fear all over his face.

"What are you doing?"

"Carnage Kabuto... he backed off?!"

Kabuto was sweating, somehow, and shaking with fear. Shocking Doctor Genus.

 _ **"If I had attacked him, he'd have killed me right there and then! Who the hell is this guy? He's full of openings and yet, my instincts are screaming, telling me he's dangerous!"**_

"Huh?" Saitama was confused, what the hell was the guy doing?

"YOU BASTARD! HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET SO STRONG?" Kabuto's cry echoed throughout the room, shocking Tatsumaki, Genos and Doctor Genus.

Kabuto stared at the confused egg, panting. This was no ordinary man.

"So, you wanna know too?"

...

"All right then."

Everyone stared at the bald hero in silence.

 _ **"Is Sensei going to tell us now? The secret to his power?" + "Baldy, I swear to god if I have to deal with strong and ugly human animal hybrids from now on, I'm killing you." + "Yes, Saitama. Tell me, tell me your secret!"**_

Saitama put on the best game face he could, and everyone perked up their ears, even Tatsumaki. Even she couldn't help but be curious.

"First, make sure you stick to this intense training regime."

 _ **"Training? Not modifications, nor genetic enhancements, but training?"**_ the doctor was even more shocked now.

 _ **"Just what kind of training..."**_ Kabuto could only imagine what Saitama had to go through to be able to make him of all creatures so afraid.

"Listen up Genos. You need to keep doing this regime, no matter how hard it gets. It took me three years to get this strong."

 _ **"Three years baldy? But the**_ _ **kind of training-" + "Three years Sensei? But how-"**_

Saitama had a serious face on, the kind that... honestly it looked more ridiculous than serious. But the aura he gave off made everyone tense.

"ONE HUNDRED PUSH UPS! ONE HUNDRED SIT-UPS! ONE HUNDRED SQUATS!"

 _ **"Say what baldy?" + "But Sensei, that's-" + "This regime is-" + "That sounds like-"**_

"THEN A TEN KILOMETER RUN! DO IT EVERY SINGLE DAY!"

All four spectators looked shocked. You'd think they'd be impressed and all, but no, they were shocked.

"Of course, you must eat 3 meals a day. For breakfast, a banana's just fine. Above all, in order to train your mind, you must remember to never use any air conditioning or a heater, no matter the weather. At first, you'll feel like you're dying because of how hard it is. You might think of taking just one day off, but you can't. Even when I spat out blood, I continued training to be a hero. Even when my legs were so heavy I couldn't move them, I did my squats. Even when my arms made weird popping sounds, I did my push-ups. After a year and a half, I noticed a difference. I had become bald! And I had become strong! In other words, you have to train like hell until your hair falls out. That's the only way to become stronger. Screw all of this evolution crap, it will never attain this level, for humanity's greatest strength is our ability to grow and adapt!"

 _ **"Wh-what?" + "Is this guy for real?" + "Are you shitting me Baldy?" + "Sensei... at a time like this..."**_

"PLEASE STOP JOKING AROUND!"

"Eh?"

Genos screamed in anger, causing Saitama to go back to his egg face.

"That's just normal strength training! AND IT ISN'T EVEN THAT INTENSE!"

"Yea egghead, are you trying to bullshit the bad guys? Because it's not working."

Oh, so that's why they were all shocked. They thought Saitama was crazy.

"I have to become stronger no matter what Sensei, I didn't become your disciple just to hear a joke like that!"

The baldy could only stare at his disciple. He was so sure that at least Genos would believe him.

"Saitama Sensei, your power is far beyond what you could achieve with strength training. Please, TELL ME YOUR SECRET!"

...

"Believe it or not guys, that was all I did."

"Is that so?"

Everyone turned to face Kabuto, whose entire body started to bulge.

"W-wait, Carnage Kabuto!"

"I don't care if you're not gonna tell us your secret"

Bits and pieces of Kabuto's exoskeleton started popping off, as his body continued to grow.

"Stop it! You'll go on another rampage!"

"You ain't stronger than me anyway!"

Kabuto started to turn purple, and even uglier, his horn extended even more and seemed to be sharper than before. Blaring alarms filled up the room, causing the whole place to turn red. The entrance slowly closed off, locking our heroes and Genus in with Carnage Kabuto.

"But I'm pissed off now, so I'm gonna beat you to death."

The once 11'6" ugly brown Kabuto was now an even uglier purple 27'11" thing with spikes protruding out his back, and a horn so disproportionate to his head, it shouldn't be possible. His purple body, with what appears to be green blood pulsating through his body, contrasted the now red room.

"CARNAGE MODE!" yelled the monster as he stomped his feet, cracking the ground beneath.

Kabuto's ugly face, with completely red eyes and a row of sharp teeth stared at the bald hero.

"WHEN I ENTER THIS FORM, I LOSE MY MIND FOR A WHOLE WEEK! MY WILD INSTINCT WON'T SUBSIDE FOR THAT LONG! WHEN I'M DONE WITH YOU, I'LL GO DOWN TO THE CITY AND CAUSE A BLOODBATH UNTIL NEXT SATURDAY!"

Saitama now had a face of absolute horror, which shocked Tatsumaki who we all know is all the way at the other side of the room near the closed off entrance, watching the spectacle.

 _ **"Huh, should I step in now?"**_

"IF YOU'RE SUCH A GREAT HERO, JUST TRY AND STOP ME!"

Kabuto let out a... battle cry I guess, and launched a punch that sent Saitama flying across the room and into the wall, smashing it. The bald hero didn't even respond with a cry of pain, much less a counterattack. Genos watched as Saitama was flung around the room not even retaliating, Genus had an evil grin, whilst Tatsumaki simply had a small smile.

"Sensei?"

 ** _"It's all over, nobody in the world can stop him now. I suppose Saitama is as human as the rest of the world."_**

 ** _"Not even a scratch Baldy? Come on, stop toying with the guy."_**

Throughout the entire battle, Saitama had a grim face, his thoughts however, didn't match.

 _ **"No way... it can't be... I might've made a terrible mistake. This guy's in carnage mode... and he'll be like this for a whole week... until next Saturday. But that means... today is Saturday too... but the sale... it was on Friday... that means..."**_

"THE SALE WAS YESTERDAY!"

Doctor Genus' jaw dropped as far as humanly possible. Genos' eyes widened as he realised his Sensei was in shock the whole time, hence why he didn't attack and why, and Tatsumaki just chuckled to herself. Saitama had uppercutted Kabuto so hard, the hybrid's torso exploded, with his head and arms being flung to the side, and his guts and blood flew in every direction, leaving just everything below waist level untouched.

Saitama clutched his bald head in despair and let out a wail of anguish, comparable to someone who had just lost everything they ever loved in the world.

 _ **"Who the hell is this guy?!"**_

"I FUCKED UP!"

 _ **"What is he saying?"**_

As if reading his thoughts, Genos walked up to the doctor with a sheet of paper in his hands.

"My Sensei is most likely concerned about this."

Genus looked at the piece of paper the cyborg handed to him. It was an advertisement for a huge sale of up to 50% all products in a supermarket that was happening on Friday, or rather, happened on Friday.

"Sensei, I'm sure there is another sale in a different city, perhaps we could spend the rest of the day searching for one."

"Oh, you're right! Other cities should definitely have sales!"

"Hey advocado!" Tatsumaki flew over to our two heroes.

"Didn't you know that us S classes are given a pass a week into our duty that allows us 65% off everywhere we go? Or did you honestly forget all those times I paid far cheaper than the original bill?"

"Oh, really? YOU'RE A LIFESAVER TATS!"

The ecstatic bald hero hugged Tatsumaki so hard, she found it hard to breathe, even with her barrier.

"T-Too tight!"

"Oh! I'm so sorry!"

"Sensei, we must hurry, for the store closes in 5 hours."

"Alright! Let's go Tats! Genos, write down the list I'm about to give you!"

 _ **"I... give up on this path. It seems I am the one who must change."**_

The doctor sniffed, before smiling. A content smile, one you'd normally see on a person who has found a new purpose in life.

As Tatsumaki gasped for air, she noted this small change, and made sure to note this to the association, as she followed Saitama, who punched a hole through one of the room's walls, revealing the mountains and the beautiful sunset behind it.

* * *

And there's the chapter! I'm so sorry, but I decided not to try and describe Kabuto versus Saitama in detail, as my brain fizzed out. Besides, I was going to be oh so "original" once again and have the same thing happen as the anime. Also, yea the sale is now on a Friday because I didn't know how else to fix the timeline. Yup, really starting to regret this whole "just write what comes to mind" approach. ***Sweatdrop***

Anyway. for those of you who have read "The Strongest Hero", one of the stories which inspired me, you might recognise the fact that I've kept the guys from the HoE alive comes from there. Of course, Kabuto will be revived, just as Mosquito Girl was which means, I'm gonna need you guys' help in coming up with names for the guys. Otherwise, I'll have to request permission from the author of "The Strongest Hero" permission to use their names, and I'm not sure if they'll have the time to reply to a lifeless teen like me. Anyway, thank you all for reading, and... for the... separate reviews. Welp, anyone not interested can go on with their day, thanks again for all of your time, and I hope I can continue to entertain you readers!

* * *

Elfetrange- Uhm, I'm going to assume from the previous sentence you were going to write "as I really 'don't like' the SaiTatsu ship", in which case, I'm so sorry, but I intend on letting that ship set sail in the future. I'm going to try and make it as believable as possible because let's face it, Tats has a really fucked up childhood, thus psyche, and it will take more than just making her first friend in a long time to fix it. I'm glad I was able to give you a laugh with my writing, and I hope I can continue to do so. I thank you for your opinion on the fillers as well as your kind words and.. yea, I don't know how else to write this without going too long or sounding cringy.

Hektols- Yea, that was the first thing I wanted to resolve. In my mind, Saitama's rank just never made sense. Sure, it can be written off as bad scores but when ONE brought up Genos' suggestion, it just seemed like a cop-out to give Saitama a goal. About their reactions, that will be next chapter. And I have to say, it ***'* ** *** ****** *** **** *******.

HyperionAtlas- God no, I know the pain of a good story not being finished and while I cannot say my story is any good, I plan on finishing it. And I don't mean finishing it up to the anime, I mean going past the Manga, and possible catching up with the webcomic, though that might be too far fetched.

Ander Arias- Well, I figured I could make the lines distinctive enough that people would be able to differentiate who's who, but I can see how it could get confusing in some parts, so I've tried to resolve that issue here. Hopefully not doing the usual "he/she etc after every line of dialogue" won't come back to bite me in the butt. Do let me know what you think of it! So glad I could entertain you, and as to the meteor, I can't say Boros has a hand in it, more like that Japanese Wet Dream had a tentacle in it. ; )

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: s/11725053/1/The-Bald-and-The-Esper

The Strongest Hero: s/12494528/1/The-Strongest-Hero

There is definitely more to be added, please let me know if you read anything similar!


	7. Chapter 7: A hero for fun?

Tatsumaki fidgeted in her king sized bed. It had been a long and eventful day. First the damn cyborg showed up and just had to piss her off, then came along the weaklings that called themselves the "House of Evolution", then a bloody meteor, and to top it all off, she couldn't even vent her frustration on the beetle because the stinking Baldy insisted on toying with him. She had to admit though, it was one of the least boring days she had, even with the grocery shopping. Ugh, she hated seeing a supermarket, much less going in one. All the noise, the people, the...waiting. She was so done with it, she flew off immediately after getting the Baldy a discount.

The ESPer checked her alarm clock once more. 6.30am. Only 10 minutes had passed since she woke up from a _nightmare_. Oh how she hated that word with every fiber of her body. She is the great "Tornado of Terror", powerful enough to move the damn earth out of orbit if she wanted to and yet, she had _nightmares_. Oh well, she would have to wake up in an hour anyway, no point in trying to go to sleep.

The heroine put on her fluffy slippers and headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth. As she did, she wondered what she should do for the day. Normally she'd go take on some monsters for fun but lately all the tough ones had seemingly disappeared, and all the demon level threats were far too weak to entertain her for more than a few seconds. Plus, they had the tendency to monologue for what seemed to be forever which only further worsened her mood. As she dipped herself into an already full bathtub, her mind drifted off. Woops, looks like she needed more sleep than she realised. Damn supermarkets and their tiring effect on her brain.

Tatsumaki awoke 10 minutes later. The water in the tub had started to get cold. Scolding herself for nodding off like that, she quickly dried herself off and put on her hero clothes and headed to the kitchen to grab some breakfast. Grabbing a carton of milk and a jar of cookies, she sat herself down on her sofa and switched on her tele with her powers.

The heroine munched on her cookies and sipped at her milk as she flipped through the available channels, hoping to kill time until the next call from the association, when a certain scene caught her attention.

* * *

"There, enjoy your groceries octopus, I'm going home."

"See ya Tats! Thanks for the discount!"

"Sensei, allow me to carry all of these back home."

"You don't have to carry all of them Genos, I've got two functioning arms after all."

"I understand Sensei, I should not have underestimated you."

"Th-thats not what I meant dude! I'm just saying that I don't wanna burden you when I can do it myself."

The dedicated cyborg disciple whipped out his notebook to jot down more of Saitama Sensei's wisdom.

 _ **"Sensei may look normal, but he has enough wisdom to fill up hundreds of notebooks. I am so glad I'm your disciple."**_

"Though, I could use some help. I wouldn't want to drop any of these by carrying them all."

"Of course Sensei!"

As the two of them headed out of the supermarket, each carrying 4 plastic bags, filled to the brim with udon noodles, seaweed, meat and, most important of all, cabbage. The amount of food was surprising, especially if it's all just for two people, but Saitama figured Tatsumaki might want to visit them, so he got extra. Plus, he didn't really know how much food Genos needs. And besides, with all the hero work he would be looking forward to, he might need more nutrients than before. Yeah, better safe than sorry he figured.

Before the two even moved 5 meters away from the supermarket, a kunai aimed at Saitama's chromedome was caught in the man's fingers.

"Who dares attack Saitama Sensei!"

A weirdly feminine guy with a ponytail, purple... war paint I guess, under his eyes, and a sheathed sword hanging from his belt dropped from the roof above in front of them.

"Oh, you're that guy! Eh... what was your name... 'Seed in the ground'? No, uh, 'Lost and found'? OH of course! Jack-o-lanter pani-"

"It's 'Speed of sound Sonic'. Saitama, I've finally found you."

"Sensei, who is this man with a redundant name, and why do you know each other?"

"Oh, he's just some guy I met while I was trying to find the Paralysers. He tried out some moves on me before I... accidentally hit his groi-"

"ENOUGH! Saitama, today is the day I defeat you, and regain my honour!"

"Sensei, as your disciple, I will deal with this fool so that your precious time is not wasted."

"Eh, no need Genos. He probably just wants to test some moves again, I don't want you roasting the guy, especially in this crowded area. Here, get our groceries back home safe and sound. Oh, and prepare some hotpot, I'm starving!"

"Of course Sensei, I will not fail this task you have assigned me!"

Genos took the groceries from Saitama, and rushed to his Sensei's apartment to prepare his meal. Leaving just Saitama and Sonic.

"How stupid of you to chase away your robot bodyguard Saitama. Your stupidity will be the dea-"

"So uh, look Tonic, I'm kinda hungry right now after all that grocery shopping, maybe we could meet some other day for you to try your moves, okay? See ya."

The bald hero turned around and started to walk back home, hoping by the time he opened his door, Genos would have dinner ready. Veins on Sonic's face started to bulge in anger as he unsheathed his sword.

"You think you can walk away from me?!"

The lunatic lunged at Saitama and swung his sword, intending on cleaving the baldy's head in two, when his sword suddenly shattered.

 _ **"What the- my sword is in pieces? I didn't even see what happened! He should be dead!"**_

Sonic landed on the ground and sheathed his sword as Saitama, who had just shattered a steel blade with... his... teeth... okay, started to speak in a menacing tone.

"I told you... I'm hungry. Plus, I'm still pissed at that disappointing beetle, so anyone who gets in my way..."

The hero's face turned grim, giving off an aura that once again put death in onlooker's minds, as he looked right into Sonic's soul.

"Gets punched."

Remembering what happened to him before, Sonic stepped a few steps back.

"Fine. We'll meet again Saitama, and when we do, my sword will be unbreakable, and I'll hack you into pieces!"

And so the weird guy jumped off, leaving Saitama on the streets. Just as he began to walk however, life decided "Fuck you." and gave him another test of his patience, which by now, was running low.

"Oi!"

"Hm?"

A fairly well built man with a disgusting hair style, and a even more atrocious tank top, both reminiscent of a tiger's stripes, in dark green long pants and your everyday black shoes, was standing just a few feet away from Saitama.

"You cheating bastard!"

"Eh, who are you?"

"You- YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHO I AM! I AM THE HERO, TANK TOP TIGER!"

Oh wow, some guy managed to come up with an even more obvious name that describes his appearance than the ones Doctor Genus gave his creations.

"BIG BROTHEEEEEEEEER!" yelled "Tank top tiger", like a little kid would do when he wants his brother to beat up some guy he hates.

"IT'S THAT GUY!"

 _ **"Seriously, who the hell is this guy?"**_ thought Saitama, who had the blankest expression on his face.

"YOU CALLED ME LITTLE BRO?"

Some random leaped from behind T-T-T (Tank top tiger), and landed beside him.

"Brother!"

"THE HERO, TANK TOP BLACKHOLE IS HERE!"

 ** _"Eh? Since when did Tank tops become trendy?"_**

"SO, YOU'RE THE FRAUD THAT ABUSED MISS TORNADO OF TERROR'S KINDNESS TO GET INTO S CLASS, EH?"

"Say what now?"

"NO ONE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE ATTAINED S CLASS WITH A SCORE OF 71! FIRST YOU ABUSED THE S CLASS HERO'S KINDNESS TO GET YOURSELF INTO S CLASS, THEN YOU STOLE HER CREDIT FOR THE METEOR? UNACCEPTABLE!"

"So uh... what do you guys want?"

"HUH? ISN'T IT OBVIOUS? WE'LL BEAT YOU UP SO BAD YOU'LL NEVER-"

"Hold on little bro. Bastards like this won't learn with a simple beating. We'll teach him with the most brutal method there is!"

 _ **"Oh, am I going to get a good fight? Eh, surely as heroes they wouldn't do it near civilians."**_

T-T-B (Tank top blackhole) took a deep breath, before letting out a shout to damn loud and obnoxious, Saitama had to dig his ears.

"ARE YOU THE ONEEEE!? THE JERK THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DESTROYING THIS CITYYYY!?

"Huh?"

 _ **"I get it, big bro is trying to get the attention of all the citizens that are angry with him!"**_

"UNBELIEVABLE! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE AROUND HERE!"

 _ **He's going to use their anger..."**_

"DO YOU NOT FEEL ANYTHING AT THE SIGHT OF THIS DEVASTATION?

 _ **"To break his spirit!"**_

Nearby civilians started making their way towards the scene.

"ARE YOU GLOATING? IS THAT WHAT THIS IS? WHY ELSE WOULD YOU WALK AROUND SO SHAMELESSLY, DID YOU ACTUALLY THINK YOU SAVED THESE PEOPLE?! THANKS TO YOU INTERFERING WITH THE S CLASSES DESTROYING THE METEOR, THESE PEOPLE HAVE NO WHERE ELSE TO GO!"

 _"Hey, isn't that C Class rank 13 T-T-T and his brother B class rank 81 T-T-B?"_

 _"Who's that bald guy down there?"_

 _"Hey that's the guy that was with those S classes when the meteor came down!"_

 _"Eh? What's he doing here?!"_

"IF YOU WERE GONNA SCREW UP SO BAD, WHY DID YOU BUTT YOUR BALD HEAD IN? THE OTHER S CLASS HEROES WOULD HAVE DONE A WAY BETTER JOB THAN YOU! NOW THANKS TO YOU PLAYING HERO, A HUGE DISASTER HAPPENED! LOOK AT THIS PLACE! ALL THIS DESTRUCTION IS YOUR DOING YOU CHEAT!"

 _"That's.. that's right! This is all your fault!"_

 ** _"They took the bait!"_** The asshole that is Tank top blackhole grinned.

"YOU HEAR THAT? THAT IS THE HEART WRENCHING CRY OF SOMEONE WHO LOST THEIR HOME! LOOK AT THEM, ALL OF THEM ARE VICTIMS OF YOUR SELFISH ACTIONS!

 _"Yea!"_

 _"Yea! You tell him!"_

"HAVEN'T YOU EVEN THOUGHT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY?"

 _"Yea!"_

 _"You're inhuman!"_

"GIVE UP BEING A HERO YOU FRAUD!"

The two brothers started chanting, "Give it up", enticing the crowd to join in. Like a bunch of sheeps, the crowd joined in. Tens of voices yelled at Saitama who, by now, was getting really sick and tired of the day. He just wanted to get his shopping done and enjoy a home cooked meal after a disappointing victory. Why did god have to do this to him?

The shitty tiger guy smiled. Honestly, if the crowd even had half the intelligence of a pig, they would have figured out by now the two tank top wearing idiots were doing something wrong but of course, in this universe, saying the civilians are as dumb as pigs is insulting to pigs, so they continued.

 _ **"We got him. His pride should be shattered by now."**_ T-T-T looked around him, watching as the crowd did their work.

 ** _"Is this what they call mob mentality? They're all chanting in unison._ _"_**

Unbeknownst to the idiots below, a silver haired old man was watching from the rooftops above with disgust.

 _ **"Saitama-kun... You have without a doubt saved this city and yet, look at how they treat you. All because they saw a green glow surround the meteor before you smashed it. You're strong, the strongest I've ever met in my time, so forgive me for not saying anything. I'd hate for you to rot in this industry. Perhaps resigning will give you a better future."**_ The old man closed his eyes. What a thought, having the world lose its strongest hero simply because he deserves better.

 _ **"TIME TO FINISH HIM OFF!"**_

T-T-B pointed at Saitama and declared with bullshit brimming from his mouth.

"OI! HE'S GETTING READY TO FIGHT!"

"Huh? I'm just standing he-"

"No way! You're gonna take your frustration out on the people, just like how you destroyed their city? DO YOU JUST KILL EVERYONE YOU DON'T LIKE?!"

 _ **"Eh, this is my city too asshole."**_

"I WILL NOT LET YOU HURT THEM! WE, THE TANK TOP BROTHERS WILL NOT STAND BY WHILE YOU ATTACK INNOCENT CIVILIANS!"

The tank top dumb and dumber had jumped down from their ego straight down to their IQ and prepared to attack Saitama. T-T-T had his arm raised in pride, while T-T-B pointed at Saitama with as much disrespect as a human could muster.

"IF YOU'RE A HERO, THEN FIGHT US FAIR AND SQUARE!"

 _ **"So, they plan on performing a publicity stunt while crushing a S class leagues above them? Haigh, I'd say they've gotten a little bit too greedy. No wonder they can't rise above their respective classes. My apologies, Saitama-kun."**_ Bang took one last look at the bullshit below, and walked away, hoping Saitama takes this opportunity to seek a path more worthy of his strength, perhaps one leading to a specific dojo.

"Tank top tiger, who fights like a true tiger-"

"And Tank top blackhole, who crushes all with a grip of 2,800 psi!"

"We brothers will punish all who stray from the path of a hero!"

 _ **"Haigh, today just isn't my day."**_

T-T-T let out a pathetic battle cry, before a single nonchalant, not even a-billionth-of-a-fraction-of-a-percentage-of-his-power punch from Saitama launched him flying past his older brother, crying in pain the whole way.

"Huh? DAMN YOU! I'LL RIP YOU APART!"

T-T-B lunged at Saitama with his hands outstretched which gave the bald hero a very large opening to kill the guy, but he simply gripped his hands, causing the other to shriek in pain.

"Yaaaaaaaagh! I give up! I GIVE UP!"

"You're kidding, right?"

"I GIVE UP FOR REAL! I'M SORRY! I"M SORRY FOR LYING!"

"No. You weren't lying."

The weakling that is T-T-B, now kneeling on the floor due to the excruciating pain, opened his eyes in shock.

"I'M THE ONE WHO SMASHED THE METEOR! IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT, LET'S HEAR IT!"

The crowd, and a very familiar blonde, stared at Saitama, completely unable to speak, until one brave, let's be honest, it's just a nice way of saying stupid, soul opened his mouth.

 _"Because of you, my brand new car was-"_

"YOU CAN SHUT UP!"

The crowd had their mouths open in shock. The once calm expressionless baldy was now seething with rage, or if you were smart enough to tell, impatience.

"WHY WOULD I GIVE A CRAP ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS? TELL THAT TO THE METEOR ABOUT TO KILL YOU, JACKASS!"

Saitama let go of T-T-B's hand, causing the latter to drop to the floor, and pointed at the crowd.

"LISTEN UP! I BECAME A HERO, NOT FOR THE ADMIRATION, BUT BECAUSE I WANTED TO! SO IF YOU WANNA BLAME ME, GO RIGHT AHEAD, BALDIES!"

 _"But you're the baldy."_

"WHAT'D YOU SAYYYYY!?"

By now, Saitama's patience started to run out. Not only that, some guy just called him bald! How dare he! He looked like he was about to do something rash when a familiar voice stops him from completely losing it.

"Sensei."

"Oh, Genos. Give me a sec, these guys-"

"Let's go home and have hotpot, Sensei."

"Oh. Yea, I'm starving."

As the two walked back home, the crowd slowly dissipated.

"Damn it. That guy's face is burned into my brain. I'm going to remember this."

"Sensei."

"Eh?"

"I have never met anyone as amazing as you, Sensei."

"What brought that on Genos?"

"To do so much as a hero simply because you want to, no matter the public's opinion on you. Your wisdom knows no bounds, just like your powers, Saitama Sensei. I want you to know that even if the public doesn't appreciate you, I will still follow you."

"Dude, you don't have to butter me up, really. I'm fine. Besides, if us heroes don't help, who else will?"

 _ **"Sensei... these people do not deserve a hero like you. The next time I see those two, I will incinerate them."**_

"Now come on, that hotpot can't wait any longer!"

 _ **"I'm glad I could meet and be a disciple to someone like you, Sensei."**_ As Genos followed his Sensei, he took out a notebook to write down his Sensei's words of wisdom. Truly, he has never felt so blessed to meet someone, not even Doctor Kuseno.

* * *

"... WHAT."

Tatsumaki always hated the lower classes. She thought of them as nothing but attention hungry weaklings that only signed up to get their otherwise useless asses recognised and boy, she has never seen more definitive proof than that shown on her tele. During the entire publicity stunt, one member of the public, a reporter, was filming the whole thing on their camera. This video was being played on one of the news channels and, how unfortunately for the Tank top brothers, was being viewed by the Tornado of Terror herself.

 _ **"How dare they. HOW DARE THEY TARNISH MY NAME!"**_

She would have only been disgusted if they had kept her out of this, but no, they had to imply she was easily manipulated because she was kind, making her look like a goddamn softie! Making her seem like the kind of person to not mind helping some idiot boost their ego!. She was outraged. They will pay. Oh they will pay so dearly. But first, she had to make sure a certain Baldy was not thinking of quitting, not when she had done so goddamn much just to get him in, including arguing with those pea-for-a-brain idiots in charge of the rankings. Tatsumaki blew open her apartment door, and shut it with as much force as possible without breaking it, and headed for City Z. She had to take her frustration out on something after all, lest she ends up killing those two weaklings. No, they did not deserve such mercy from the Tornado of Terror.

* * *

"Sensei."

Saitama was sprawled on his futon, snoring away. After a long and tiring day and a great meal, he was so damn ready to sleep. And so he did. Even his alarm clock couldn't wake him up. Genos was in the seiza position next to him, trying to wake the baldy to ask him something.

"Sensei!"

"Huh, what? Oh, Genos, what is it?"

"Sensei, I apologise for intruding on your precious sleep, but I have failed as a disciple, for I do not know what you take for breakfast." The cyborg hung his head in shame. Could cyborgs feel shame? Eh, I guess this one can.

"Dude, you don't have to be so dramatic, I don't mind."

"Thank you Sensei. Your-"

"Please Genos, no long talks for today."

"Yes Sensei. So what would you like for breakfast?"

"Eh, I guess Udon noodles are fine."

"Very well Sensei, I will get right on-"

Before Genos could stand up, the door to their apartment flew off its hinges into the cyborg's face at incredible speeds, crashing right into his face.

"ADVOCADO!"

"Eh? Tats? What are you doing here? And why did you send my door to Genos? What did he do?"

"I DON'T CARE! JUST TELL ME, ARE YOU PLANNING ON RESIGNING FROM BEING A HERO!?"

"Whoa, Tats, calm down. What made you think that? I don't plan on quitting a hobby."

"BUT THE NEWS! THOSE DAMN WEAKLINGS! THOSE-"

"Tats."

Saitama now had a serious face. Not the one that gave off an aura of death, more like the type a parent would use on a child.

"Calm down, please. I just woke up so my ears are not ready for anything louder than your normal volume."

...

"Sorry, I just... I'm so goddamn mad."

Genos had moved the door back to its original spot and reminded himself to fix it before going out today, and sat back down next to his Sensei and Tatsumaki.

"But you're always mad Tatsumaki."

"SHUT UP CY-"

"Tats."

"Haigh, shut it cyborg. I won't hesitate breaking the floor with your face."

"Tats, what's wrong? Why did you come here in a rage and asked if I was going to quit being a hero?"

"One of the news channels broadcasted a video of you being involved in two weakling's publicity stunt and those assholes tarnished my name in it!"

"Eh, what stunt?"

"Sensei, I hate to remind you of it, but she is referring to yesterday's incident with the brothers."

"...Oh, them."

"Listen egghead, I'm only here to check on you. Whatever you do, don't you dare quit being a hero, especially not after I used so much of my time getting you here! Now if you excuse me, I have to teach those two a lesso-"

As the ESPer turned around, a firm grip caught her wrist before she could fly off in search of the Tank top bastards. Normally she'd fling anyone who dare lay a finger on her crashing into a wall, but she knew damn well who was holding onto her, and she knows the reason he stopped her.

"Tats, they're not worth your time."

"Like hell they aren't! They insulted me, made me out to be a weakling that lets kindness manipulate them! They will pay for it!"

"Tats, you're a heroine right?"

"OF COURSE I AM YOU STUPID BAL-"

"A heroine should not hurt innocent people."

"THEY ARE NOT INNOCENT BALDY!"

"I thought we already agreed on not calling Saitama Sensei Baldy, Tatsumaki?"

"Cyborg, shut your mouth, or I will do it for you."

"Tats, look at me."

Tatsumaki turned her head from the annoying cyborg, and faced Saitama, who now had the kind of face you'd see on someone pleading.

"Don't throw away your reputation over a simple insult. Besides, if you were to act on it, wouldn't the public get more suspicious and believe in those words more?"

"I..."

Unbelievable. The baldy, him of all people, calmed her down. One minute she was damn ready to break every bone in those two idiots whilst keeping them alive, the next, her powers slowly deactivated, and she floated down to the ground.

"Hey, have you had breakfast yet?"

"...Just some cookies and milk."

"That's not breakfast! That's a snack! Yo Genos, do you know how to make pancakes?"

"Yes Sensei, I have downloaded several recipes when I asked to live with you, therefore I-"

"Dude, what did I say?"

"Sorry Sensei, yes I know how to make pancakes, Sensei."

"Cool, go make some for the three of us, okay?"

"Yes Sensei!"

Genos rushed himself to the kitchen to prepare Saitama's meal. And though he was a bit reluctant to make a batch for the ESPer, his Sensei had requested for him to do so, and he was not going to disappoint him.

"Hey Tats, you got any plans for today?"

"Why do you ask octopus?"

"...Will it kill you just to refer to me as Saitama?"

"It might."

"Eh, anyway, I wanted to ask you to spend the day with Genos and I. I'm kind of bored since there hasn't been a single call and I wanted to get to know you better."

"Wh-what?"

"Yea, I realised that even though we're friends, we don't really know too much of each other. So uh, do you have the time?"

"Well... I suppose since the association has yet to call me... Fine, but only because I don't want you accidentally pissing me off just because you don't know much about me."

"Cool. Make yourself at home, I have to go brush my teeth and shower."

The baldy walked off to do his morning routine, leaving Tatsumaki by herself.

 _ **"Friend? He considers me a friend? What the hell did I do to make him think of me as a friend? Damn it, how am I supposed to be a role model to Fubuki when I myself have a freaking friend? I mean, he may not be as useless as hers but..."**_

"Tatsumaki, do you want syrup or butter on your pancakes?"

"Syrup will do cyborg."

"Sensei, what about you?"

A muffled "Syrup!" could be heard from the bathroom before the apartment was silent again, with the exception of cooking noises coming from the kitchen and the sound of a shower in the bathroom. Tatsumaki sat herself down at the baldy's table. Such a tight living quarters and yet, it was surprisingly quaint. It had been a long time since she had such a feeling...

* * *

First of all, I want to thank "The Lone Lobster", author of "The Strongest Hero" on this website, for letting me use the names they came up with the the monsters of the HoE.

I would also like to apologise for the previous chapter. Instead of a "tad" different, it was more like "barely" different. I'm so sorry for this but I didn't know how else to write it where it would not disrupt the flow. I mean, if I had Tatsumaki go against Kabuto, she'd wipe the floor with his ugly face. Hopefully this issue won't happen again.

Also, sorry for the large amounts of "adult words" in this chapter. I didn't know how else to convey my anger towards the two bas-brothers. Damn them to hell. Also, in the future, I will be using "haigh" to represent someone sighing, whether it be out loud or in their minds. Not all the time of course, just depends on whether I go the "they sighed" or "sound effect" route. Also, _"Lines like these"_ will represent the general public aka the people I don't give name to so as to not make everything confusing.

So anyway, thank you all for your time. Yea... I'm getting a lot less creative with the "thanks" part of the note. Now, I should probably get around to those fillers.

* * *

Lightningblade49- She technically didn't survive, she just got revived with knowledge of the man's power. Hopefully I can resolve her fear in a natural fashion in the future. And yea, 65% off everything, not just sales. Too bad it will be a week before he receives that discount pass.

Ander Arias- Yea, sorry about that. If I tried to incorporate her, the whole chapter would be... I'd say a few hundred words long. I'm glad I was able to use your advice properly, thanks for that. As for the HoE guys... let's just say I got inspired heavily by "The Strongest Hero".

Elfetrange- Oh thank the lord, hopefully most of my readers like that ship too, I wouldn't want to disappoint a truck ton of them. (o_o')

Hektols- One more week before he enters heaven.

Boggie445-I appreciate the name suggestion, but I have managed to obtain permission from "The Lone Lobster" to use their names. Thanks though!

HyperionATLAS- Hey, if you find anything else that reminds you of a certain OPM story, let me know. I've forgotten where a lot of my inspiration comes from and I am sorely disappointed in myself. (o~o)

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: s/11725053/1/The-Bald-and-The-Esper

The Strongest Hero: s/12494528/1/The-Strongest-Hero

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar!


	8. Chapter 8: New heroes!

"Hey Tats, you want some water for those pancakes?"

"You don't eat pancakes with water, egg- WHAT THE HELL?"

Saitama had finished showering and was about to head in the kitchen to get some drinks when he remembered his guest, which means he can't go around shirtless. Damn, he was looking forward to a cool and relaxing day of manga reading. Oh well, he was the one who suggested getting to know each other better. He put on his favourite red and white hoodie, the one decorated with the word "oppai" and some drawings to really get the point across. Unfortunately, he didn't contemplate that maybe, just maybe, Tatsumaki with her... less than defined body would fine such a design insulting.

"Eh, what's wrong?"

"Are... are you faking ignorance you damn cue ball?"

"Ignorance about what?"

"Your... the design... it's hideous!"

"Eh? You mean my hoodie? Is it really that bad? I mean, at least it's comfortable."

"Are you fucking stupid you melon? There is a WOMAN in your presence!"

Saitama looked around his apartment before replying to Tatsumaki in a joking manner,

"What woman?"

"Not. Funny. Baldy."

"Okay, calm down Tats. I didn't mean to... uhm, insult you I guess. My other clothes have yet to be washed, so this is all I got."

"Haigh, fine."

As Saitama sat down next to the ESPer, a certain cyborg popped into the room. He had on a ridiculous pink apron that conflicted with his usual fiery demeanor. So ridiculous in fact, Tatsumaki burst out laughing, though the cyborg seemed not to care.

"Sensei, the pancakes are done. Do you want milk or just some water?"

"Eh according to the _woman_ , you can't have water with pancakes so uh, milk I guess."

"Very well, Sensei."

"Oh, get some for Tats as well Genos."

"Yes Sensei!"

Genos disappeared before returning with a plate of fresh, homemade pancakes, a bottle of syrup and three glasses of milk. Tatsumaki watched as the cyborg set the table like a trained waiter and wondered just how a cyborg that was rash enough to attack a roach that smashed him into a wall, was able to handle such a delicate task.

"Whoa, these pancakes look great Genos!"

"And they smell good too. Who knew a cyborg could cook?"

"Thank you Saitama Sensei and Tatsumaki." Genos beamed at his Sensei's compliments, only thanking the ESPer because his Sensei insisted on treating her like a friend.

As the three tucked into their meal, which Tatsumaki found to be better than those cafes she went to, though she'll never admit it, Saitama struck up a conversation.

"So Tats, aside from pancakes and treats, what else do you enjoy eating?"

"Really? That's the first thing you want to know about me, advocado?"

"Eh, I figured since we're friends, we'll probably have a few meals together. Might as well try to make sure we all enjoy it."

"Well... I... don't really eat anything else."

"What? Not even udon noodles?"

"No."

"Ramen?"

"No!"

"Surely hotpot."

"What part of 'anything else' do you not understand egghead?"

"Well, that settles it then. The next meal we have, I'm making sure you try some proper food."

"What? No way! Just let me eat what I like."

"Tatsumaki, I assure you that even with my artificial taste receptors, I find Saitama Sensei's choice of food very delectable." Genos was amused to find out that the ESPer was like a child in more than just her behaviour and looks. Even her taste is like that of a kid.

"But what if I don't like it? It's better to just go with what I'm familiar with.

"Then why are you so in love with pancakes and treats? Surely if you only go with what you're familiar with, you'd constantly be drinking milk from a bottle."

"Are you implying that I'm childish?!"

"I am sure you are." Genos may be a cyborg, but Doctor Kusenos had done a good job of programming him to be more human. And that includes being so sassy that he can compete with the Tornado of Sass.

"Hey, stop it you two. I don't want a fight in my house!" Saitama was getting worried. There was no way he'd be able to afford repairs for any major damages, not when he has yet to receive his paycheck.

"He's the one who started it!"

"And you're the one that's so stubborn." In all his life, Genos has never met an adult so very much like a child. He could never understand how his Sensei could treat her so nicely. That man must have an infinite well of patience to go with his wisdom.

"Guys, come on. Okay, look, how about we have some hotpot the next time we eat? I mean, it's basically a DIY soup so you can't go wrong there."

"Haigh, fine. Now can I please eat my pancakes?"

"Of course!"

As the three continued to dine on Genos' fantastic cooking, Genos decided to enquire about his Sensei.

"Saitama Sensei, might I enquire why you became a hero?"

"Huh?"

"Oh yea, after seeing that shit from yesterday, I'm curious." Tatsumaki herself was quite curious. Surely no man would train himself to achieve such power because he wanted to, right?

"Eh, it's like I said, I just wanted to do it. I've always wanted to be a hero since I was a kid."

"Bullshit. There has to be something else to it!"

"I agree with Tatsumaki, Sensei. I became who I am today because of a-"

"Dude, we heard your story already."

"My point is Sensei, there has to be a reason why you became a hero."

"Oh come on. Does everything need to have a boring backstory in you two's books?"

"Okay fine, how about the story behind your disgusting suit egghead?" The ESPer never knew a man who thought a bright yellow jumpsuit would be a good hero costume, much less one paired with striking red gloves and a flowing white cape.

"Do not insult Sensei, Tatsumaki."

"Don't lecture me, cyborg!"

 _ **"Haigh, these two are like siblings."**_

"Well, if you really wanna know, sure. But it's not really very interesting."

Saitama proceeded to tell the two about an old tailor. Apparently, this tailor was the one who repaired his previous costume which was just a blue running suit. He was one of the few people who supported Saitama in his quest to become a hero, even repairing damages for free. Genos and Tatsumaki were impressed when they found out the Baldy took out an entire crime gang on his own just to retrieve the old tailor's shop lease. They were further shocked when he told them about how the Tailor wanted to retire anyway, and made Saitama's hero costume as a sort of final achievement. Who knew such a abhorrent suit had such a heart warming backstory.

"Huh, is that why you wear it despite first hating it?"

"Nah, it just doesn't tear as easily. In fact, I can't remember the last time I had to repair this."

"Sensei is a very practical man."

"Anyway, what about you Tats?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you become a hero? You know both me and Genos' reason, why not tell us yours?"

"I am curious as to why you became a hero as well, Tatsumaki."

The ESPer was suddenly silent. Genos deduced from her facial expressions she was deep in thought. It seems the ESPer may have a long backstory like his. He would have to remind her of his Sensei's limit, he figured.

"It's... nothing special Baldy."

 _ **"Bullshit. Do you not trust Sensei, Tatsumaki?"**_

"Eh, I don't mind. I mean, mine wasn't either, as you two so nicely pointed out."

"Tatsumaki, does something about your backstory bother you? Perhaps you do not yet trust us? If it is just me, I can leave the room."

"Shut up, cyborg! I just don't want to bore you two to sleep is all."

 _ **"Even more bullshit."**_

"Well, it's fine if you don't want to tell us. I understand some things are too private, even for friends."

 _ **"If Sensei wishes not to dig any further, I shall not intrude."**_

"Very well. Sensei, may I ask you something? I worry it is a sensitive subject."

"Eh? What is it?"

"What did you look like before you lost your hair?"

Tatsumaki and Genos could almost see Saitama's blood pressure rising. Yea, apparently that is in fact a sensitive spot.

"SO I LOST MY HAIR YOUNG, WHAT'S IT TO YOU GENOS!?"

"My apologies Sensei, I am only curious and do not mean to insult you. Forgive me."

"You know cue ball, I'm kind of curious as well."

"Haigh, if you really want to know, I've got a picture somewhere around."

Saitama walked over to a pile of his stuff and dug around, before pulling out a photograph with an "Aha!". He showed the photo in his hand to Genos and Tatsumaki. Both of their eyes widened at the sight of... Saitama with hair. The man was far less... derpy looking in the past. He had spiky black hair that in addition to his brown eyes, to Tatsumaki's surprise, made him look quite handsome.

 _ **"Huh, he might have even rivaled that A class cunt."**_

"Sensei, you actually looked quite "desirable" in today's standards. It is unfortunate you lost your hair, for your strength will be lost to this generation."

"Oi! What are you implying?"

"He's kind of right, avocado. I can't think of any woman that would date a bald man."

"Hey, looks aren't everything guys."

"But Sensei, studies have shown that a person's appearance is the first thing people look for in a relationship, for it is a primal instinct that-"

"Damn it Genos, cut the long explanations already!"

"Sorry Sensei, I will reactivate my summary mode."

"Why'd you deactivate it in the first place cyborg?"

"It drains more power due to having to recalibrate a lot of my sentences."

"Why not just talk less?"

"I'm afraid Sensei, like many others, do not know sign language, so there is no other way for me to convey my message."

"Anyway, where were we?" Tatsumaki could not bother trying to argue with Genos any longer. That damn cyborg had a comeback to everything. It was a kind of a nice change, having someone she can compete against. Not literally of course.

"Eh, we were trying to find out more about each other."

As the three continued to chat, they found out many things about each other.

Tatsumaki:  
Likes candy apples. She goes to festivals just for them.  
Her hair does actually naturally curl. Might be due to her being born with ESP.  
Has a hatred of all who are below S class, bar some person in B class whom she refuses to reveal.  
Extremely sick and tired of being mistaken for a child, hence her chosen attire. Still gets mistaken anyway.  
Like Saitama, doesn't do the hero thing for appreciation. Instead, she feels obligated to do so due to her powers.  
Also like Saitama, extremely bored of not being able to find any monsters that last more than a second against her.  
Has a weakness to ghosts.

Genos:  
Originally had blonde eyebrows to match his hair, but later switched to brown. No real reason why.  
His sleeveless tops are so he can switch his arms out without hassle, not for style as Tatsumaki initially suspected.  
Can use his core to further amplify his already intense power, though it drains him and should only be a last resort.  
As long as he goes to Doctor Kuseno, no damage is lethal to him, though that remains to be seen for the worst he sustained is being cleaved in half via Mosquito Girl.  
If he can imagine it, Doctor Kuseno can most likely make it, thus his arsenal is never truly complete. Even comes with housewife material, very amusing to Tatsumaki.  
Is in fact equipped with many human skills such as but not limited to: Artist, player of all instruments, gamer, writer. This is due to Doctor Kusenos wanting him to be as human as possible.  
Was always this serious of a dork, even when he was human.

Saitama:  
Is crazy scared of losing his hero status. Says it means a lot to him.  
Despises people who dis heroes  
Is a firm believer that what makes a hero is their character, not their appearance, not their popularity, not even their strength. Okay, a bit of the last.  
Unbelievably humble about himself, almost to a fault. Not Saitama's words, Genos and Tats figured this out for themselves throughout their many conversations.  
Hobbies do in fact include reading manga and playing video games. Absurdly bad at the latter if his reaction to being challenged by Genos is anything to go by.  
Gets sensitive about his baldness only because he thinks people are about to dis his hero status because of it, hence why he doesn't give (too much) a damn about Tatsumaki's nicknames.  
Thinks banana's are a good gift because they are healthy and cheap. (-_-)

"Well, that was interesting. Who knew this cyborg could do more than just burn stuff." Tatsumaki was intrigued. For the first time in a long time, she was actually interested in someone other than her.

"Yea, I never imagined someone's hair could naturally be like THAT." Saitama was glad he could find out more about his friends. It had been a while since he had any.

"I too found the conversation interesting." Genos didn't think his Sensei could be better than he already was, but learning about his Sensei's morals only made him respect the man more, not just for his power, but his character as well. He truly could not have been given a better Sensei.

"Well, I'm glad we know more about each other. Oh, it's 9am already?"

"Sensei, do you have something important to do?"

"Nah, I'm just surprised time went by so quickly. It's usually slower."

"9am? Why the heck have I not been called yet?" Unbelievably, Tatsumaki had lost track of time. Normally she'd be so bored waiting for a call from the HA. It was a nice change she supposed.

"Oh, hey, you two wanna go find some monsters to deal with?"

"I would be glad to fight by your side, Sensei!"

"Well, I've got nothing until the association calls, I might as well."

"Cool, let's go!"

The three exited the apartment, and looked for monsters to contain their boredom everywhere. They had found a few, including some weird seaweed monster near City Z, which Tatsumaki knocked unconscious, stating the creature was too weak and not worth their time, as well as a weird octopus in Greek wear that Saitama blew the top half of it's body off, after it mocked how his head resembled an octopus. Surprisingly, the lower half was intact and standing, so Tatsumaki squished it, along with the giblets of the creature into a ball, letting Genos burn it all. By the afternoon though, there were no monsters to be found, and the heroes were getting bored.

"Where are all the damn monsters? It's like they disappeared!"

"Perhaps they witnessed us slaughtering others, and are now too afraid to show up."

"Oh man, I hope not. We still got half a day to waste."

"Sensei, what about the House of Evolution? Surely they have something to do."

"Eh, no way man, what if they experiment on us or some shit?"

As the three debated what to do with the day, a familiar voice popped in from behind them. They turned around to see once again, the silver haired Bang.

"I don't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help but hear you three were bored?"

"Bang-san, what are you doing here?" Genos didn't know much about the other S classes, but the old man was an curious one. Aside from the fact that he was the only S class apart from Metal Knight who bothered showing up to the meteor, he was the only one Tatsumaki didn't seem to disrespect.

"I was simply heading to the supermarket Genos-kun."

"Don't you usually order, Bang? Why would you come down here on your own despite your back?"

"Well, Charanko is on a vacation right now, and the ingredients the association usually send me doesn't seem to be as fresh, so I took it upon myself."

"Eh? Don't you have any other disciples Old dude?"

"HIS NAME IS BANG YOU DAMN MELON!"

" ***Chuckles*** , it's alright Tatsumaki-chan. I don't mind."

"He's being disrespectful, that is not alright in my books!"

 _ **"Speak for yourself, brat."**_ Genos could not help but be amused at the irony.

"No need to waste your breath for an old grandpa like me, Tatsumaki-chan. Oh, my apologies, I forgot why I was here. I wanted to ask if the three of you wanted to come to my dojo."

"What for gramps?"

"Do I have to drill his name into your shiny head, you cue ball?"

"Oh, right. Bang was it? Why do you want us over at your dojo?"

"Ah, you see Saitama-kun, my brother sent over some fine maine lobsters, so I decided to have hotpot, hence why I came to get some ingredients. Unfortunately, he sent too much for an old man like me to finish, even with my 7 new disciples. I was wondering if you'd come and join us?"

"Lob-lobsters? The expensive version of crab?" Saitama always wanted to try lobsters, he just couldn't afford them. He couldn't believe his ears when Bang offered him a free meal with more than enough lobsters for 8 people.

"7 new disciples, Bang? I thought no one dared to go to your dojo after... well, that incident."

"Well, it's more like the association wanted me to supervise them."

"Bang-san, are these humans that tough that S class Rank 3 has to watch over them? Could we possibly have a duel with them?" Genos was now excited. His Sensei had wanted a challenge, perhaps he could find one.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call them humans, nor are they tough, as Saitama-kun found out."

"Huh? Have I faced them before?" Saitama doesn't remember fighting any martial artist.

"Well I guess you'll find out egghead. Bang, let us help you with the groceries. The last thing I want to happen is for the association to lose one of the only respectable heroes."

"Thank you, Tatsumaki-chan."

And so Tatsumaki, Genos and Saitama helped the old hero shop for stuff to be used for hotpot. As they headed towards Bang's dojo, they wondered just what was in store for them.

* * *

"Wow, that's a lot of stairs to climb everyday gramps, how do you do it?"

The heroes arrived at the foot of a mountain, with a huge flight of stairs leading towards what Bang said was his dojo. Saitama and Genos were flabbergasted, while Tatsumaki didn't seem the least bit surprised. Bang only chuckled.

"An old man like me need exercise to prevent our health from degrading. It's actually quite a relaxing climb."

"Eh, it would be easier for me to just jump up there." Saying thus, Saitama picked up Bang and Genos, and jumped all the steps, landing right in front of the dojo. Tatsumaki had to shake herself awake, before flying up there.

"What the hell egghead? Are you trying to give Bang an early grave?!"

"It's okay, Tatsumaki-chan. The breeze was quite refreshing. Now, shall we head in for lunch?" Bang opened the door to his dojo, and called for his disciples. 7 very familiar faces approached the heroes, and Tatsumaki was just about ready to send something flying.

"THEY ARE YOUR DISCIPLES?! THOSE FREAKING THINGS?!"

There stood the creatures from the House of Evolution. All of them, including the recently deceased Carnage Kabuto, bowed, welcoming their guests.

"Bang-san, is it wise teaching monsters your martial arts?" Genos was very much ready to kill any of the creatures. If even someone like Tatsumaki respects Bang, he can't imagine what creatures with his fighting style and training would be like. Well, certainly no match for his Sensei, but still.

"Do not worry Genos-kun, they have turned over a new leaf, and are now active heroes in the association with their own names. Students, please introduce yourself.

The students, who were all clothed, thankfully, proceeded to introduce themselves, from the strongest to the weakest.

Carnage Kabuto:  
"My name is now Chikara, A class Rank 54, nice to meet you all." The beetle seemed a lot more humble, probably due to having been, you know, decimated by Saitama.

Beast King:  
"You may call me Bunji, fellow heroes. I am A class Rank 55."

Armoured Gorilla:  
"Atomu, A class Rank 56, at your service."

Mosquito Girl:  
"Mu-Mutsuko. A class Rank 68. Glad t-to... be on your side."

Kamakyuri:  
"Kamakyuri, B class Rank 89 Slicing Mantis. Pleasure to meet you."

Ground Dragon:  
"Genjiro, B class Rank 105. Sorry for uh, making you a bamboo shoot."

Slugerous:  
"Suguru, C class Rank 234. I'm not actually training."

Frog Man:  
"Fujio, C class Rank 260. I'm glad we have Bang for a teacher. He's nice."

"Now that you have properly introduced yourselves, please go and prepare tea for our guests. Oh, and get ready for hotpot."

"Yes Bang Sensei!" Yelled his disciples, as they rushed to complete the old man's task.

"Fujio, could you come here for a moment?"

"Yes Sensei."

"Please prepare the items necessary for some games. I think our guests will be bored of waiting."

"Of course Sensei!"

Fujio brought a pack of cards and a pair of toy hammers and a pair of... helmets I guess. Tatsumaki recognised this as Bang trying to get more disciples, for he had done the same to many heroes like her. She always felt kinda sorry for him, losing all his disciples like that. But seeing how happy he was with 7, even non human ones, she didn't interfere.

 **Ah bugger, it's time for me to be lazy again. Same shit happens as OVA 4, only Tatsumaki is watching at the side in disgust, and then laughing at how Saitama couldn't beat Bang at rock paper scissors. Cut to Saitama smashing the helmet and burning the floor trying to hit Bang.**

 _ **"Such power!"**_ Bang had already witnessed the bald hero's strength when he smashed the meteor, but to see it up close was a new experience.

"Oi! You aren't supposed to run away!" Saitama's steaming red bald head had veins popping out in anger. He had never been this serious before, Genos noticed.

"WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TO KILL HIM, HE CAN!" Tatsumaki was damn pissed at Saitama, using so much force in a freaking game. She was about to lift Bang out of the way when the martial artist dodged with incredible speeds.

"That's enough." Bang jumped down from the roof, catching the attention of the pissed hero and heroine.

"It's my loss, fair and square."

 _ **"If we had been fighting for real, what would have happened?"**_

"Bang Sensei, the hotpot will be ready in a minute!" Mutsuko had poked her head in to get them ready for lunch, when she witnessed the smashed helmet and the very obvious burn marks on the floor, along with quite a pissed off Saitama.

"Uh... You sh-should pack up the games Fu-Fujio..." The stuttering Mutsuko went back to preparing tea, hoping to get her mind off the very painful reminder. How Carnage Ka-Chikara seemed unaffected by his death, she would never understand.

"So, what do you think about martial arts you two?"

"Eh?" Saitama, slow as always, didn't understand the old hero was trying to get him to join the dojo.

"Maybe you understand, now that you've had a match, the appeal of martial arts, especially you Saitama. I could tell you were enjoying yourself from how serious you got during the game."

 _ **"Bang-san is right. I have never seen Sensei so into anything aside from food and sales."**_ Genos began to understand that Bang wanted his Sensei and him to join the dojo,

"Well, Saitama-kun, are you interested?"

"Uh, not really. But it might be fun to come here for games every so often, maybe even make friends with your disciples." Saitama had a very small hint of interest in his tone, so small that only Genos picked it up.

 _ **"Oh, I still have to apologise to those two for killing them. Should I do it while we eat? Maybe that will ruin their appetite... Eh, no harm in trying."**_

"Very well, Saitama-kun. Fujio, clean up here, then come and join us for hotpot."

"Yes Bang Sensei!"

And so, all 11 of the heroes sat down for hotpot, which Tatsumaki admitted was nice, along with some top quality tea. They were all enjoying the food and banter, even the House of Evolution group had things to talk about, from their experience training, to Chikara trying to control his carnage mode and be more human, to how they witnessed Saitama teaching the beetle a lesson via cameras.

"Oh! Thanks for reminding me. Eh, bug lady and beetle dude, I want to apologise for killing you that time."

Mutsuko suddenly went quiet, while Chikara didn't seem to mind speaking of his recent death.

"Eh, no worries. If anything, I should be thanking you. Now, we get to have more freedom, and I'm starting to become human again. Oh, and it's Mutsuko and Chikara, not bug lady and beetle dude."

"Oh, right. Sorry, I'm not good with names."

"Sensei, if you'd like, I can give you a notebook with all our names and a drawing so you can remember easier." Genos was already scribbling on a fresh notebook to hand to his Sensei, when Saitama stopped him.

"It's better if I learn from frequently chatting with them Genos. Otherwise, it might feel a bit forced."

"Oh! Is Sensei trying to tell me on experience and not given information? Thank you Sensei, I will treasure your lesson."

 _ **"Incredible, despite seeming so normal, he taught his student a valuable lesson just like that. And Genos picked up on it so quickly, unlike Charanko. How unfortunate they do not wish to join."**_ Bang was slightly disappointed, but was very content. To not only have 7 new disciples, but to make friends with someone as great as Saitama, he truly is blessed.

 _ **"Wow, this cyborg has a talent for blowing things out of proportion."**_ Tatsumaki on the other hand, was just amused at how Genos overcomplicates everything.

"Hm? Mutsuko-chan, are you alright?" Bang noticed his disciple had gone quiet

"Oh! It's no-nothing, Bang Sensei." Bang however, was not so easily fooled.

"Ah, you are still afraid of Saitama-kun, are you not?" Mutsuko only looked away, confirming his suspicion.

"Do not worry, Mutsuko-chan. I am sure that Saitama-kun has no reason to hurt you, now that you are no longer on the wrong side, isn't that right Saitama-kun?"

"Eh? Oh, yea, of course." Saitama felt a little bit guilty seeing how traumatised Mutsuko was.

 ** _"Crap, I didn't mean to scar her, I was just doing my job! How the hell was I supposed to know she'd be revived with memories of her death? Seriously who thought that was a good idea?"_**

"Hey Mutsuko, relax. I'm sure once you get to know him, you'll have no reason to be afraid of him!" Bunji was now trying to comfort the traumatised bug lady. He almost looked like the dad of the bunch, with how he acted.

"You must forgive my disciple, Saitama-kun. Her young mind still has problems coming to terms with her death."

"Eh? Young mind?" Saitama felt even more guilt.

"She is technically 19, Saitama-kun, so unlike Chikara, who is 35, she is not very brave.

"How the heck did you find out their age Bang?" Tatsumaki never considered for a moment the mutants would give a damn about their age.

"They told me, Tatsumaki-chan. They appear to age just like normal humans."

"Bang-san, how old are each of your disciples? Do they have a birthday?" Genos wanted to get more information about Bang's new disciples. Sure, they had turned over a new leaf, but you could never be too safe.

"They have all decided to share the same birthday, that is, the day they turned over a new leaf, for convenience sake. As for their age,"

Chikara: 35  
Bunji: 32  
Atomu: 27  
Moquito Girl: 19  
Kamikyuri: 17  
Genjiro: 15  
Slugerous: 14  
Fujio: 13

"Eh? Why is there such a huge gap between the first three and the others?"

"The young ones were only created in the later years of the House of Evolution, Saitama-kun."

"Enough about us, why don't we find out more about you three?" Atomu sugested.

And so the group continued to dine, finding out more and more about each other. It was a fantastic afternoon for all of them. A few hours later, Tatsumaki, Genos and Saitama thanked Bang for the meal, and prepared to head home.

"Tatsumaki-chan, may I have a word with you?" Bang called for the ESPer before they headed off.

"Hey Tats, Genos and I gotta go first. We should go hunt some monsters again!" Saitama jumped off, with Genos following closely behind.

"What is it Bang?"

"I'm glad you've decided to make some friends."

"What?"

Bang had a kind smile on his face. The kind that tore through your heart.

"It must have been hard for you, but I'm glad you managed. Perhaps now you'll have an easier time getting along with your sister."

"Bang, I already told you, you don't have to worry about me."

"I can't help it. You are, after all, the closest I have to a family, aside from Bomb, more so than my previous disciples."

...

"Thank you Bang, but now I have to take care of myself."

"You know Tatsumaki-chan, you could always start a family of your own. You aren't getting any younger, after all."

"Says the bachelor of 81 years."

" ***Chuckles*** , take care, Tatsumaki-chan."

"Right back at you, Oji-san." With that, Tatsumaki flew off, leaving a happy Bang to his 7 disciples.

* * *

Well, bet you didn't expect that, did you? It's my headcanon that the reason Tatsumaki is respectful towards Bang is because he took care of her when she was rescued by Blast. So uh, sorry if the non-canon puts anyone off.

I would like to once again thank "The Lone Lobster" for letting me use the names they came up with for the HoE guys. I would have delayed this story by 10 years thinking of names otherwise (o_o')

Also, I made a new story for fillers. That way, anyone only interested with the main story won't have to deal with pressing the next button more times. Also, the fillers are not important to the story, so reading them is optional.

Thank you all once again for taking the time to read my story because holy crap, I wasn't expecting 5k+ viewers. It is a small achievement I will gladly frame in my mind palace. Now on to the reviews, I am so bad at ending with thanks.

* * *

Lightningblade49: Hah, as if I'd leave a scene so integral to Saitama's character out of here. I would be struck down by ONE Sensei himself if I dared.

Hektols: Thanks for the idea, I might include it here or in the fillers.

Shiroraven: ;)

guest: Even with my crazy mind, I'd never dare. It's so damn hard to write the story like that, and kudos to the writers that try, and even succeed. I mean, altering the timeline is bad enough, trying to suddenly make Tatsumaki like egghead without having it be all unnatural/cliche is a nightmare. Why did I put this on myself ;-;

Ander Arias: Sorry, I thought the few mentions it's T-T-B saying it were good enough. Hopefully I've remedied that here. As to whether the story is SaiTatsu, it's going to be, and hopefully it happens as naturally and as uncliched as I hope it will be.

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: s/11725053/1/The-Bald-and-The-Esper

The Strongest Hero: s/12494528/1/The-Strongest-Hero

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar!

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	9. Chapter 9: That's Fishy

Somewhere, a small girl with curly, green hair and bright emerald eyes to match held on to the hand of an even smaller girl, with straighter, darker green hair and green eyes just a shade darker than the other were playing near their home while a couple watches on. They were all so happy...

 ***RIIIING!***

The alarm clock blared until it was smashed into the nearby wall. Tatsumaki groaned as she forced herself off her bed and headed for the bathroom, noting how late it was, and there still wasn't a call from the association.

 _ **"Damn it, that was the first pleasant dream in a long time."**_ The ESPer forced herself to try and remember every last detail of it, and humphed when she realised she forgot all of it. Funny how the first good dream in years was instantly forgotten whereas her countless _nightmares_ were all stored away, impossible to forget.

As Tatsumaki entered her bathtub, she relished in the warmth that soothed her otherwise busy mind, what with having to keep her immense powers under control. She had recently begun to appreciate the simple things more, much to her surprise. The heroine pondered on what to do for the day as she toyed with the bubbles.

 _ **"Oh right, it has been a while since I spent any actual time with Fubuki."**_ The ESPer dried herself off and changed into some casual attire, yes she has those, which was just a dark green hoodie she had purchased one day along with a skirt to match as she dialed a number listed under "Sister Mine."

* * *

A cafe in City J was famous for the customers it attracts, specifically two heroines, which ended up in the cafe creating a small corner away from prying eyes just for them. One was the "Tornado of Terror", Tatsumaki. The other, a 5'6" curvaceous woman in a dark green dress that matched her hair, with a long white fur coat draped over her shoulders and thigh high black boots, known as "Blizzard of Hell", younger sister of the former, Fubuki. She was at her usual table checking the time.

 _ **"Onee-chan should be here by now. Come on Fubuki, calm down, she is always in a better mood when it's just the two of us."**_ The stressed lady fumbled with her coat. Her "Big" sis was never late for their meetings. Fubuki pulled out her phone to call Tatsumaki, when the petite ESPer walked through the curtains in the clothes they got her the last time she was out. Unfortunately, said clothes were all dusty.

"Onee-chan, did you run into a monster just now?"

"Haigh, don't remind me about it Imouto." Tatsumaki signaled for the usual waitress, and the two sisters ordered their breakfast.

"So Onee-chan, how have you been?"

"Just fine Imouto. You?"

The younger started to play with her fur coat again, which Tatsumaki recognised as a sign she was uncomfortable.

"What's wrong Fubuki?"

"N-nothing. It's just that..." Fubuki brought out her phone, showing Tatsumaki the news article she had read.

"Please tell me you didn't kill those two, Onee-chan."

The older ESPer blinked as she tried to calm herself down. She was not going to let this stinking incident ruin her day with her little sis.

"That's what has you worried? No, of course not. That would be too merciful."

"You didn't hurt them either, did you?"

"Not yet."

Fubuki let out a sigh of relief, confusing Tatsumaki.

"Listen sis, these two are very cunning, I don't want your reputation ruined, so whatever you do, don't go after them, okay?"

"Oh please, like I'd be stupid enough to do it in public."

"That's not my point Onee-chan, two of my members have already fallen prey to their stunts, and both dropped in rank immensely. You know the how the association doesn't allow heroes to fight among themselves."

"But S classes are allowed to teach them a lesson, so stop worrying about it. Besides, I've decided to give their "Master" a stern warning in the next meeting."

"Onee-chan-"

The waitress returned with the two ESPers' orders, and headed out to serve another table. Tatsumaki dug into her food while Fubuki continued.

"Onee-chan, I'm just worried there might be some truth to their words."

The older sister suddenly froze, but Fubuki could sense the aura she was giving off. The "explain before I kill you" aura.

"I'm just worried that guy isn't all he seems to be. Don't get me wrong Onee-chan, I know how smart you are, but there is a small chance his simple demeanour is a facade for a cunning brain."

"Imouto, do you honestly doubt my ability to see through such things?" Tatsumaki looked up from her plate with a very displeased look on her face.

"N-no, of course not Onee-chan! I'm just afraid his strength comes from somewhere... unnatural of origin."

Tatsumaki cocked her head in confusion as Fubuki explained her reasoning.

"What if he's actually a monster in disguise? I mean, destroying a dragon level threat and a meteor even Metal Knight couldn't take down with ONE PUNCH? Don't you think it's absurd?"

"Haigh, Imouto, I'm telling you, he's human."

"But isn't it suspicious that someone with that kind of power just shows up one day? And how did we not know about him for the past three years?"

"I told you already, he was a hero for fun for those three years, completely unaware of the association. All his credit likely got given to nearby registered heroes."

"I still find him suspicious."

"Hmph, even if he was a monster, I could take him out no problem, so stop worrying, Fubuki. Your food's getting cold, finish it. We have a day's worth of boredom to kill."

"O-okay Onee-chan."

As the sisters ate, a buzzing came from Tatsumaki, who pulled out her phone in annoyance.

 _ **"Tsk, of course they call when I have plans of my own. Damn these idiots."**_ The ESPer answered the call while Fubuki watched.

"Huh? What do you mean my help is needed! It's just some tiger levels, that damn A class can handle it himself!" Tatsumaki ended the call, muttering words of annoyance.

"What is it Onee-chan?"

"Apparently a tiger level threat has appeared at the beach of this city, and the idiots expect me to help some stinking A class."

"Onee-chan, if they called you, surely it's for good reason."

"Yea right. From what I heard, they just want me for clean up."

"Would it not be best for you to go, just in case?"

"No way, I am not going to let some puny tiger threat ruin my day with you."

As if god itself was displeased, lightning appeared in the sky, coupled with thunder and the blaring of the alarms.

 _"This is an announcement from the Hero Association, the threat level is tiger, all civilians, please stay clear of City J. Citizens in the area are to evacuate immediately!"_

"Onee-chan, we should probably go. It's not like stores will be open anyway."

"Hmph, as if I'd let my Imouto be anywhere near danger. I'll get you back to your headquarters."

"But Onee-chan, you'll end up shouting at my friends ag-"

"That is final, Fubuki!"

Tatsumaki flew outside with Fubuki by her side. The younger ESPer has yet to master her abilities, so was unable to fly, requiring Tatsumaki to, in a sense, carry her. The two were shielded form the rain and headed to City B, where the "Blizzard bunch", Fubuki's group, resides.

"Onee-chan, I still think you should go and take a look, I can handle myself."

"If you're worried those 'friends' of yours will get another tongue lashing, don't. I only did it last time because they were talking shit behind my back."

"I'm sorry Onee-chan, they can't help it with how you treat them. If you didn't insult them every time you laid eyes on them I'm sure they would grow on you."

"Fubuki, what did I tell you about making friends?"

"But Onee-chan, you made some yourself, didn't you?"

Tatsumaki turned to face her little sister, who had a shit eating grin on her face.

"Bang?" Tatsumaki already knew who it was that informed her Imouto, to which the woman nodded.

"Maybe now you'll see the benefits of having friends." Tatsumaki only sighed at her sister's comment.

"At least I chose those who are strong. Your group is full of miserable B classes." Tatsumaki blatantly stated, her harsh words causing Fubuki to turn her head away.

As the ESPers neared the border of City J, another blare of the alarms was heard.

 _"Emergency evacuation warning, the threat level has been raised to demon. All residents of City J, evacuate immediately!"_

"Onee-chan, I think the city needs your help more than I do."

"Hmph, that A class weakling can't handle a damn tiger level? Fine, I'll come back once I've got you to safety."

Tatsumaki increased her speed and reached City B in less than 30 seconds. She placed a nauseous Fubuki down and knocked on the door to the Blizzard Bunch's HQ. A young girl with long, black hair tied in a ponytail, with bangs covering the right side of her face that has a single blue highlight, greyish blue eyes and a white lily flower on her head opened the door.

"Miss Blizzard! Miss Tornado! Come in, please!" The little girl Tatsumaki knows as "Lily" took her sister inside. She was the only member of the Blizzard Bunch who wasn't "punished" when she mistook the ESPer as Fubuki's little sister, due to Lily only being 14 and relatively new to the association, thus Tatsumaki pushed it aside as her innocence, rather than the group trying to mock her.

"Lily, take good care of my sister. I have to go back to City J."

"But Miss Tornado, they say the threat is only demon. Don't you only take on dragons?"

"Those assholes ruined my day with Fubuki, I'm going to make them pay." With that, Tatsumaki sped off, leaving a very frightened Lily.

"Your Onee-san is very scary, Miss Blizzard."

"Only when she wants to be, Lily." Fubuki shook her head, and headed in for a rest. After all, there was a whole day of boredom to kil.

* * *

Saitama and Genos were in their apartment, one reading manga, while the other dried dishes with his palm, when both received a call.

"City J? That is a bit far from here, are there no competent heroes nearby?" The cyborg answered his phone, while the bald hero continued reading his manga, ignoring the phone the association gave him.

"Very well. Sensei and I will be there shortly." Genos answered Saitama's call for him, not wanting to intrude on the bald man who was enjoying the manga he was reading.

"This is Genos. Sensei is currently changing, we have been informed about the situation, we will be there." Genos tapped Saitama's shoulder, bringing him out of manga land.

"Genos? What's up?"

"Sensei, there is an invasion of a group calling themselves "Sea folk" at City J that look suspiciously like the one we destroyed with Tatsumaki."

"Oh, we got work?"

"Yes, Sensei."

"Cool, give me a sec to change." Just like he said, Saitama changed into his hero suit in a second, and he and Genos dashed towards City J. As the two arrived at the boundaries of City J, an alarm could be heard.

 _"Emergency evacuation warning, the threat level has been raised to demon. All residents of City J, evacuate immediately!"_

"Sensei, I suspect most of them have headed for the evacuation shelter."

"Oh, Genos, I think you should head over there, protect those civilians."

"What about you Sensei?"

"I'll go find the thing terrorising the city."

"Yes, Sensei!" Genos sped off to the evacuation shelter, leaving behind Saitama, who ran around the city when suddenly-

"Wait, you're the new S class, Saitama!"

"Oh?" Saitama turned to face the source of the question, a man witha green helmet, goggles and brown armour on a bicycle.

"You a hero too?"

"Yes! I'm Mumen Rider, it is an honour to me-"

"Have you seen any monsters?"

"Huh? No sir, I have not."

"Oh, I guess I'll have to keep looking

"Saitama-kun, it would be an honour if you let me help you!"

Saitama couldn't bring himself to deny the man. Something about him... just seems familiar. He rode on the back of the man's bike as the two of them went to find Genos.

* * *

Genos was near the evacuation shelter, when suddenly someone flew out from the top. He caught the man, realizing it was A class rank 38 Snek. Setting the man down, Genos jumped to the hole the hero was blown out from. Looking down, he saw a giant green humanoid with fins growing from the sides of his head in a tattered red cape and a crown.

"Are you one of the sea folk?"

The creature turned to face Genos, revealing it's ugly fish like face.

"So what if I am? Are you another sol-"

"I will eliminate you."

Genos charged himself and launched a punch at the fish face. As soon as the punch connected, the cyborg fired a charged shot, sending the monster flying. As Genos powered down, he turned to face the crowd who were staring at the large hole he created in awe.

"Was that the last of them?"

The crowd cheered, all of their fears had disappeared. Unfortunately for them, the monster wasn't so easily taken down. It returned and grabbed Genos' arm. Before the cyborg could react, fish face, which now looked more like a human in clown makeup, punched Genos, sending the cyborg flying and ripping off his arm.

"Now I'm angry. I will tear you to shreds!" The monster's face was bashed in which, honestly, was hilarious.

 _ **"I let my guard down. I never learn, do I?"**_ Genos prepared himself for a fight. The loss of an arm... it's nothing.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Saitama asked Rider. They had been going on for a few minutes now, and there were no monsters in sight.

"The civilians are fleeing from this direction. I'm sure we'll find monsters up ahead!"

As the two continued searching for the monsters, something or someone ran past Saitama.

"Eh, dude, did you see some naked guy run past?"

"Huh? I don't think so."

"I swear I saw him. Might be a civilian. Hey, you go on ahead, I'm gonna find the guy before he scars a kid or something." Saitama hopped off Rider's bicycle and ran off in search of the naked guy.

As Mumen Rider cycled, his phone rang with the Hero Association's ringtone. The C class Rank 1 hero braked before picking up.

"Huh? The evacuation shelter?! That was the other way!" Mumen rushed off, not realising he dropped his phone. It rang once more, and was picked up with a green glow.

 _"Mumen Rider, C class heroes are to evacuate immediately! This monster took down an S class!"_

"Where is this monster, idiot?" A very familiar high pitched voice rang through the phone.

 _"Miss Tornado! Where is Mumen?"_

"I don't know, I don't care. Where. Is. The monster?"

 _"It is terrorising the evacuation shelter, Miss Tor-"_ The ESPer ended the call and turned around.

"That way, egghead."

* * *

"All of you who can walk, leave the shelter now! I cannot promise I will win, run while I keep him busy!" Genos warned the crowd. Not only was he doubtful, he knew if he were to unleash his true strength, he could kill a few of them himself.

The crowd ran, screaming the whole way, attracting the monster's attention.

"None of you monkeys. WILL ESCAPE ME!"

Genos charged himself, and sent himself flying towards the creature, kicking him in the face. The two started to trade blows and, surprisingly, even with one arm, Genos was able to keep up and eventually got a hit on the monster, sending him flying. Genos fired a shot before jumping up.

"Blinding lightning!" Genos blinded the monster, before kicking his head in, entrapping him on the shelter's roof.

"Machinegun BLOWS!" Genos began to attack the fish repeatedly, eventually cracking the shelter beneath.

"You do like combos, don't you?" muttered fish face. As the two landed, the monster threw a punch which Genos countered. As the crowd ran off, one young girl holding a stuffed bunny cheered Genos on.

"QUIET!" The creature spit out what Genos realised was acid, intending to kill the girl.

"Now you melt! The clown face stated as the little girl watched in horror. Before the acid could reach her, Genos blocked it with his body, causing the top half to melt off. The fish threw Genos into a wall, before sending a punch that broke said wall, along with the cyborg, who landed on the ground unmoving.

"You should have focused on me. You could've easily avoided the acid, but instead, you choose to save a runt." The thing taunted Genos, who could do nothing but listen.

"I have to give you credit, you gave me a few scratches. Of course, they have already healed. Oh, I do believe we have yet to exchange names. I am the Deep Sea King, and yours doesn't matter. Once I destroy you, I'll go after the rest of those monkeys!"

"JUSTICE CRASH!" Before the self proclaimed King of the sea could deal the finishing blow, a bicycle hit him in the back. Okay, more like tickled his back. The Sea King turned to face a panting Mumen Rider.

"The cyclist for justice, Mumen Rider is here!" The hero said between pants.

 _ **"C class Rank 1?"**_

"D-don't!" Genos knew the C class was no match for the creature, but the C class either didn't hear his warning, or chose to ignore it.

Mumen Rider ran towards the Sea King to punch him. The monster only commented on how bored he was and caught Mumen's arm, thrashing him around with absolutely no strength whatsoever, breaking off the hero's glove and sending him flying.

"Hmm? Ah, my apologies. I nearly forgot to kill you." The Sea King turned to face Genos, when Mumen Rider threw a weak "Justice Tackle" at the creature, trying to prevent him from killing the cyborg, pissing off the Sea King, who sent the C class flying once again. By now, he had started to transform.

 **I'm so damn sorry, but I cannot do Mumen justice here. I tried and butchered it, thus I shall avoid describing the incident. If you want to watch it, there are countless websites, including youtube. I suggest to watch the SUB version, as I feel the dub VA doesn't do it justice. That's my opinion though. Cut to Mumen about to fall.**

Before Mumen could hit the ground, he was caught by a gloved fist.

"You did fine. Nice fight." Genos suddenly floated into the air, along with Mumen. He didn't need to look up to know who that can be credited to.

"I'll handle the heroes, octopus. Teach that stinking fish a lesson, will you?" Tatsumaki had found Saitama running around, according to the bald hero, trying to find some naked guy before he could scar any children. Now they were here, just in time. For clean up. The ESPer wanted the kill for herself, but seeing Saitama's serious face when he looked at Genos for just a second told her this was his kill.

"Hmm? Who are you calling a stinking fish, you runt? Fine, when I'm done with this piece of garbage, you're next!"

"Oi, can we get this over with? It's raining and I feel sleepy." Saitama called for the Sea Kings attention. The monster, angered, threw the strongest punch it could muster at Saitama. Right before it landed, Saitama threw a punch at the Sea King that was far stronger than he intended, blowing a hole through the fish and causing the rain clouds to disappear. As the carcass of the monster slowly flopped down, the crowd behind them cheered.

 _ **"Well, that was lame. I guess it's a good thing I didn't waste my time with a weaker punch."**_

 _"HOLY CRAP!"_

 _"WE'RE SAVED!"_

 _"HE AIN'T NO FRAUD! HE'S TRUE S CLASS MATERIAL!"_

The civilians were still cheering for the bald hero. The once distrusted hero was now on the receiving end of the public's praise...

"Well, maybe the other heroes were just too weak."

Well that caught Tatsumaki's attention. She turned around to see some fish lipped bowl cut fat fuck trying to ruin this moment. And ruin it he did.

"Are youfucking retarded, you ugly fuck? HE PUNCHED THE RAIN OUT OF THE SKY! YOU THINK THAT'S NORMAL?!"

"How are we supposed to know you weren't helping him, hmm Tornado of Terror?"

"Oh, you are just asking for it!" The ESPer raised the cunt into the air, but the guy didn't react.

"Uh ah uh, I'm an innocent civilians. You, as a heroine, can't hurt me!"

"Hmph. Then a heroine I shall no longer be." Now, the guy started pissing his pants.

"W-wait, you'll be a criminal! The other he-heroes will come and k-kill you!"

"They can come and tr-"

A very forced laughter interrupted Tatsumaki before she could tear the man in half.

"Today is my lucky day! All those heroes weakened the monster to one punch, and that green hair kid was too fucking kind, and got rid of the rain to make me look strong!"

Genos and Tatsumaki gasped in shock.

 ** _"Sensei, not like this. Your work..." + "Saitama you fucking cue ball, stop!"_**

"Good thing I put on my puppy face when I told my sob story. I barely did a thing and now, I'll get all the credit!" The hero turned around to face the crowd.

"Oi! All of you spread the word! I'm the one who defeated that monster! Anyone who says otherwise, I'll beat the snot out of!"

 _ **"You fucking Baldy, no one will believe something that-"**_

The crowd began to talk among themselves. All of them started to doubt Saitama.

"Oi, all of you! Take care of the fallen heroes, you hear! If they die on me, who the hell am I gonna steal credit from, huh?"

 _ **"Saitama Sensei, is this really what you want? How can you continue as a hero when the public hates you?... No matter, I will follow you to the ends of the earth no matter the path you take, Sensei..."**_ Genos could never understand Saitama but, if this was what his Sensei wanted, who was he to say otherwise.

 _ **"Damn you, you stupid baldy. After all I did for you, you're gonna kill your career now?"**_ Before Tatsumaki could personally stab the egghead, her phone rang. It was the damn hero association.

"YOU IDIOTS BETTER NOT-"

"Miss Tornado, do not worry. This is a simple test to confirm Saitama is in fact worthy of S class." A familiar voice came through the line. The bearded worker, Shouta Yamamoto, also known as the one person Tatsumaki doesn't think is a complete idiot.

"Caveman? What the hell is going on? Explain this instant!"

"The man who spoke up is a worker in disguise. Please do not rip him in half, Miss Tornado. In any case, Saitama will still be a hero after this, have no fear."

"Hmph. You couldn't just fill me in?"

"My apologies, Miss Tornado. The higher ups felt you might have spilled the beans before they could-"

"Send them into hiding, because if I find them, they die."

"Haigh, yes Miss Tornado." The ESPer ended the call, and looked as the crowd started to work together to take care of the fallen heroes.

 _ **"You are such a dumbass, you bald piece of... haigh."**_ Tatsumaki flew down to Saitama who was walking away, the Sea King's crown in hand.

"Advocado, what are-"

"Hey Tats, if I pawn this crown, how much will I get?"

"I... how am I supposed to know, egghead!"

"I should go. It's got gold, so it should be a substantial amount. Today is my lucky day."

"Cue ball!"

"Huh? What is it Tats?"

"...Why did you do that?

"Do what?"

"All that bullshit about you stealing credit! Do you have any idea how bad this will make me look?" The ESPer tried her best to pull off an angry voice, not wanting to reveal just how curious she was.

"Oh. Sorry Tats, I just couldn't stand there and listen as that guy insulted heroes."

"But they WERE weak! Well, except that damn cyborg. Besides, I could've taught him a lesson!"

"Look, Tats." Saitama turned around and once again put on what Tatsumaki calls the "Bang ji face", after her adoptive grandfather, Bang. The face he would use whenever he tried to teach her and Fubuki something.

"Being a hero isn't about how strong you are, it's about doing what's right, because it's right. I don't care what those people think about me, but the other heroes, they give the public something to believe in. If the public stopped believing in the heroes, then I wouldn't have done the right thing."

Tatsumaki stared at the bald man in front of her. Such a goddamn idiot... and so goddamn right.

"Oh, I'm hungry, you wanna get something to eat?"

"... You wanna meet my sister?"

"Huh? You have a sister?"

The two heroes rushed off to City B, after Saitama dropped off the crown at his apartment to be pawned some other day. After all, they had a day of boredom to kill.

* * *

EDIT: Why did I write Saitama wanting to find Genos. Shit. Thanks for reminding me Ander Arias, it has been fixed.

Damn, I suck at writing action scenes. (-_-')

Sea King arc over! Good ridance. First of all, I apologise for Fubuki and Tatsumaki being OOC with each other. I know I said I won't change the characters but I wrote myself into a hole with my headcanon. I mean, Bang would never let these two be in such a broken ass relationship if he took care of them, so yea. Tatsumaki still hates the idea of friends, so her yelling at the Blizzard group is always a thing Thankfully, in this story, she and Fubuki get a long much better. The less emotional drama I have to bastardise the better. Speaking of

About the mumen scene, I implore you all, if you've somehow yet to get to it, watch it in all its subbed glory. If you have, go rewatch it again when you get to that part here because goddamn it, I am freaking crying after rewatching it over and over whilst I tried to write it. I couldn't. I am not going to ruin it with my shit writing. I apologise.

Also, another shitty headcanon. I had to, otherwise it wouldn't make jack sense with Tats standi-floating there, letting the fish lipped cunt continue and, once again, I couldn't keep such an important scene out. ONE and Murata Sensei would strike me down. Anyway, I apologise for all the swearing, I'm pissed at the fish lipped shit, and I thank you all for reading.

Did you figure out where the bearded worker's name comes from?

* * *

Ander Arias: Yea, let's hope I kept it in mind writing this. ***Looks around cautiously.*** I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope the same can be said in the future. I hope to do the SaiTatsu pairing justice.

Elfetrange: Not for a long, long time. Oh, Icebreaker? Shit! How could I forget that!

Hektols: Garou? Who the heck is Garou?...

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: s/11725053/1/The-Bald-and-The-Esper

The Strongest Hero: s/12494528/1/The-Strongest-Hero

Icebreaker: s/11943574/1/Icebreaker

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar!

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	10. Chapter 10: Blizzards are cool

Saitama and Tatsumaki headed to a cafe for lunch. The ESPer said it would be convenient to continue her day with her younger sister and simultaneously introduce her to the bald hero, which surprised said baldy since not once had Tatsumaki mentioned anything about a sibling in the few days they knew each other.

They were escorted into the cafe by a waitress towards a table, where a curvaceous woman with a fur coat draped over her shoulders, and a dark green dress that matched her eyes and chin length hair sat.

"Egghead, meet Fubuki, my younger sister. Fubuki, meet the idiot that has been pissing me off these few days." Tatsumaki seemed to emphasise the word 'younger'. The woman extended her hand towards Saitama which he took.

"Nice to meet you, Saitama."

"Uh, you too." Saitama picked up his menu, causing his jaw to drop when he saw the sky high prices.

"Ignore the price you melon. I'll be paying." Tatsumaki easily took notice of the hero's expression. He wasn't exactly very subtle about it. The three of them settled for pancakes and tea and returned to their conversation.

"How did you do it, Saitama?" The more defined of the two asked the baldy, earning herself a confused egg.

"How did you manage to befriend Onee-chan? She always talked about how relationships were useless and yet, here you are, having the fortune of being the Tornado of Terror's first friend! How did you do it?"

"Imouto, I already told you. Unlike the group of 'friends' you have, the cue ball is actually useful, in terms of strength anyway. His intelligence is lacking." The petite ESPer answered, ticking off Saitama.

"Oi! I'm just bad at remembering things, so what?" The younger sister giggled at Saitama's reply. He has a very comical face when he's angry.

"I'm still curious. How exactly did you two meet? She didn't give me any details,"

"Oh, I helped her with a monster, then she helped me become an official hero and I guess we just became friends after that."

"Really?" Fubuki's eyes widened in amazement.

"What is it Imouto?" Tatsumaki swore she could see stars forming in her sister's eyes.

"Onee-chan" Fubuki moved herself closer to the ESPer and whispered.

"Do you like the man?"

"WHAT?" Tatsumaki exclaimed, a little louder than she wanted.

"I mean, for you and a stranger to suddenly get along, I can't help but th-"

"Fubuki! How dare you think so low of me!"

"Onee-chan, I'm sorry, I just-" Fubuki snickered. Oh, her sister was never riled about this question before. Something was definitely going on.

"Eh? What's going on?" Saitama was even more confused now. Thankfully, the waitress returned to put him out of his misery, and he took in the pleasant aroma of tea and pancakes.

"Shut up, octopus. Fubuki, I'm going to have a word with you about this."

 _ **"Oh, you may not realise it, Onee-chan. But I do."**_ Fubuki grinned as they tucked in.

"So uh... you two are... sisters, right?"

"Were you not listening the entire time, egghead?" Tatsumaki resisted the urge to smack the hero's chromedome. His stupidity is just getting ridiculous.

"I was! It's just that... you two look so different, that's all."

"Well, if you doubt it, I have ESP too!" Fubuki lifted her knife and fork into the air to support her statement.

"Oh, cool. Man, I wish I had powers like that."f

"What ARE your powers, Saitama?" asked the younger ESPer

"He just has strength beyond any human, Imouto. Too bad there's no brain to go with the brawn." Tatsumaki deadpanned as she ate her pancakes.

"Hey! Some friend you are, Tats."

"Tats? Oh, my god. You gave Onee-chan a nickname?" Fubuki once again had those starry eyes.

"Huh? Uh, I just got tired of saying the whole name is all." Saitama scratched the back of his neck. Man, Tatsumaki's sister is weird.

"And she didn't kill you the first time you said it?"

"Imouto, please. You make me sound like a lunatic." The older ESPer groaned. Her sister could be a little melodramatic sometimes.

"Eh, enough about me. Why don't you tell me about yourself? Tats never mentioned anything about a sibling before so I'm kinda in the dark here."

"Oh, of course. As you already know, I'm Tatsumaki's younger sister, 23 by the way, and, like her, I'm an ESPer, though she is far more powerful in comparison. I too am a hero, and am the leader of the Blizzard Bunch."

"The Blizzard what?"

"The Blizzard Bunch. A faction composed of more than 30 B classes." Tatsumaki answered with a mouth of pancake.

"Huh? Why would you have a faction?"

"Oh, you're new so I'm not surprised you don't know, but due to everyone fighting for their ranks, it is difficult to maintain your rank on your own, which is why many heroes form factions."

"That's ridiculous. What hero would give a damn about their ranks? A hero's job is to help people, not to be number one!"

"Well, considering how the system works, with higher rankings meaning better rewards, can you really blame them?"

"Of course! You can't call yourself a hero if you're only in it for the rewards! A true hero does what they do because it's the right thing to do."

 _ **"This again? Haigh, what world do you live in, egghead."**_ Tatsumaki silently scolded Saitama. Everything he said might be true, but this is just how society is. Real life is cruel, she had learned that at a young age.

"And besides, what if a monster stronger than all of you came along? What then? You won't last long like this." Saitama chided Fubuki who rested her head in her hands, eyes looking away in sadness.

"See? Someone else agrees with my point." Tatsumaki drank her tea after cleaning up the pancakes. Finally, someone could see where she was coming from.

"I keep telling you, Imouto, those friends of yours are pulling you down. We both know you have the skills to go high in A class, so just get promoted already. At least I made friends who aren't weak."

"Tats, come on, that's not what friends are supposed to be."

Both the ESPers looked at the bald man in shock.

"Huh? What the hell are you yapping about, cue ball?"

"You don't make friends with people just because they're strong, you do it because friends help get you through tough times, they make you happy. They're like a second family, you know?"

"What the hell? Didn't you just say being in a group is bad for you?"

"No, I meant that relying too much on numbers instead of your own self is bad. It's the reason why I don't like the idea of being a part of a group." Saitama turned his head back to face Fubuki.

"If you consider them your friends, who am I to stop you, but you have to start relying on yourself more. Ranks don't matter, you should remember that." Fubuki stared at the bald man, who had returned to his blank look.

"Ah crap, my food's getting cold!"

 _ **"No wonder you made friends with Onee-chan..."**_ Fubuki smiled and tucked into her own plate whilst Tatsumaki had her tea refilled. The table was silent until Saitama's phone buzzed.

"Oh, Genos! You okay dude?"

 _"Yes Sensei, I am alright."_ Genos' voice could be heard over the speaker.

 ** _"Genos? S class Rank 14? Did he just call Saitama Sensei?"_** Fubuki couldn't believe her ears. Rank 14 is the disciple of Rank 15? There must be a mistake.

 _"Doctor Kuseno is nearly done repairing me, and I should be back in time to prepare dinner."_

"Cool, see ya later, dude." Saitama ended the call and saw Fubuki's surprised expression.

"Uh, is something wrong?"

"You're... S class Rank 14's Sensei?"

"You mean Genos? Uh, yea I guess."

"It's more like he was forced to be after he saved the cyborg's life." Tatsumaki could still remember his face when he... begged Saitama to take him as a student.

 _ **"Maybe if I could get the two of them acquainted with the Blizzard Bunch, we'd have more power over B class."**_ Fubuki started to come up with a plan.

"Saitama, would you like to come to the Blizzard Bunch's HQ tomorrow?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Well, I figured I should get to know my sister's first friend more. You should bring Genos too. we could talk over a meal!" Well that did it. Free food? Count Saitama in.

"Oh, I guess I can spare some time. It's kind of boring when there's no monsters to take on." Tatsumaki resisted facepalming. She already figured out her sister's plan.

* * *

Fubuki and Tatsumaki were in a mall shopping. Saitama had left after thanking them for the meal, leaving the two completely free.

"Imouto, what was that about?"

"What do you mean, Onee-chan?"

"Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do, Imouto. Honestly, why don't you just try for A class? It's certainly better than staying in B class forever."

"I... you don't understand, Onee-chan."

"Haigh, you're right. I don't." A moment of silence occurred, before the older ESPer broke it.

"Now then, care to explain to me why you thought I liked that bald idiot?" Fubuki stifled a giggle.

"Well, you've never let any male get within 10 feet of you, much less befriend them. And for you to go out of your way to get him into S class-"

"It's because unlike every other idiot, the egghead doesn't brag about how tough he is. Also unlike those idiots, he can back up such a claim if he makes one."

"Ohhhh..." Fubuki looked away from her sister, making said sister even more suspicious.

"Fubuki, please get your mind out of the gutter. I want to enjoy our SISTER time." The petite ESPer rolled her eyes, emphasising her annoyance.

"Pfft, sis, I'm just teasing you! My Onee-chan would never like someone whose head is shinier than her glow."

"Imouto, please."

* * *

Saitama was reading manga in his apartment, waiting for dinner. Genos had returned an hour ago and was busy preparing some ramen. The cyborg looked as if he was brand new and lacked any sort of damage. As the bald hero read his manga, he thought about that weird sister of Tatsumaki.

 ** _"I wonder if she doubts herself... How am I supposed to help her with that? I guess there are some problems heroes can't fix..."_** Saitama had guessed from their small interaction that the woman had some kind of an inferiority complex. Yes, he may look dumb, but when it comes to reading a person, he's almost never wrong. As he contemplated what he could do, his disciple popped into the room with two piping hot bowls of ramen.

"Sensei, dinner is ready." Genos noticed his Sensei was deep in thought. So deep that even the smell of ramen couldn't pull him out. Strange, what could be occupying that mans mind?

"Sensei!" The cyborg raised his voice, finally getting the bald hero's attention.

"Oh, Genos, whassup?"

"Dinner is ready, Sensei!" The smell finally hit Saitama.

"Whoa, it smells great Genos! Thanks!" As Saitama ate his noodles, Genos formulated a question that wouldn't exceed his Sensei's limit.

"Sensei, can I ask you something?"

"Oh, sure dude." The bald hero said with a mouth of noodles.

"Can I help you with what was troubling you earlier?"

"Eh? What was troubling me earlier?"

"Sensei, you were thinking of something important enough that food didn't distract you."

"Hm? Oh right, I was thinking about Tats' sister."

"Ah, you must be referring to Blizzard of Hell, Fubuki."

"Oh, you know her, Genos?"

"No, Sensei, but I do have the Hero Association's database to refer to." Genos' robotic eyes suddenly widened, as if he had just found the secret to the universe.

"Is Sensei attracted to Blizzard of Hell?" Saitama almost choked when he heard the cyborg's inquiry.

"What the hell Genos? What makes you think that?"

"She has the body type that makes men's primal instinct react, Sensei. If that is the case, I will assist you in cour-"

"Dude, no! That wasn't what I was thinking of!"

"Then what was it, Sensei?"

"I... Okay, I think she doubts herself or something." Saitama proceeded to tell Genos of his lunch with the two sisters and how weird Fubuki was acting.

"I see. Sensei, you are a very wise man, for my analysis of the situation seems to agree with you."

"Haigh, it doesn't matter Genos. I can't do shit when it comes to that specific problem."

"Sensei, there is one way."

"Huh? You have an idea? Dude, tell me!"

"If you and Fubuki were to enter a relationship, you-"

"No!"

"Why not, Sensei? If you showered her with love, it can help her with her inferiority complex."

"Dude, no. I just... I can't do that."

"Sensei, are you asex-"

"No dude, I just... I don't feel that way."

"Elaborate, Sensei."

"Okay, look. Ever since I gained my strength, I started to... lose my emotions or something. I don't feel the stuff everyone else does, okay? If I went into a relationship, I might end up hurting her more than I helped." There was a few seconds of silence before Genos stood up with fiery determination in his eyes.

"I will help Sensei regain his emotions! I will assist you in your decisions during a relationship, and ensure that your lover helps you to-"

"Genos, stop. If anything, it would be better if you were in a rela..." Genos sat down again, having already finished his Sensei's sentence in his mind.

"Sensei, are you sure?"

"... Dude, you should totally court Fubuki. Tomorrow, when we go to her headquarters, do whatever you can to make her fall for you! Oi, as your Sensei, I task you to help get rid of her doubts!" Well, that was all it took to put that determined look on the cyborg's face again.

"Yes Sensei! I will complete this task, no matter what it takes!"

"Eh, maybe try not to be a creep about it. Now, eat. It's getting cold."

"Yes Sensei!"

* * *

Okay, I would first like to apologise for this shitty chapter. It's so goddamn short, but I wanted to get an update out.

Basically, the Dark matter pirates arc is going to take a while because I'm still trying to figure out how to incorporate Tats in there so until I get there, I'm gonna try and develop the characters more, so expect more of Bang and his disciples, Fubuki and the Cyborg and some more Egg and Tsundere.

Again, I'm so sorry for this short as fuck chapter. Brain does not want to cooperate right now. Next up, awkward cyborg tries to get with very smug and amused blizzard.

* * *

Shiroraven: Well, I had to get majority of people's "Best Girl" in here somehow. So sorry she and her sister are OOC, this corner I wrote myself into is starting to piss me off.

Hektols: Thanks, I originally planned on Tats pummeling the shit out of him and while that may have been more fun to write, it would be more troublesome in the future. Uh... as to Lord Boros and goons... That will have to wait. Sorry. (o_o')

Ander Arias: "not very fond" is an understatement, heh. Yea, that fish lipped douche deserved worse, but it would be a pain to write my original idea. Unfortunately, Lord Boros comes later. I gotta fill in the few days gap of the canon somehow. Welp, back to figuring out how that arc is gonna work. Thanks again for pointing out my mistake the previous chapter.

Red the Pokemon Master: That was a mistake in chapter 1, fixed already.

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: s/11725053/1/The-Bald-and-The-Esper

The Strongest Hero: s/12494528/1/The-Strongest-Hero

Icebreaker: s/11943574/1/Icebreaker

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar!

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	11. Chapter 11: Infuriating Coincidences

"Uh, Genos? What are you wearing?" enquired Saitama as he stared at his cyborg disciple.

"Sensei, my research shows that women are more likely to be attracted to men in suits. Would you like me to go into deta-"

"No." The bald hero thought back to the day before, scratching his temple. Was setting Genos up as Fubuki's date really that good of an idea? Could the cyborg even feel love?

"Sensei, you seem to be reconsidering your idea. Would you rather I come as just your disciple?" the cyborg interrupted his Sensei's train of thoughts, causing the bald to let out a sound of confusion.

"Wha- No, I'm just wondering Genos, can you even feel love? I mean, there wouldn't be a point to this if you don't feel any attraction."

Genos put his hand to his chin. "I do not feel any love towards the Blizzard of Hell as of now, Sensei, but I am sure if I were to interact with her more often, my human braid will-" He was quickly interrupted by Saitama, who was in no mood for another long explanation.

"Genos, do us both a favour, don't creep out Tats' sister by going into monologue mode, okay?" he begged as he put on his hoodie. "Just... try to be yourself. It would be bad if she falls for a facade."

"Yes, Sensei!" exclaimed the cyborg as he changed into his usual sleeveless shirt. "You are very wise, Sensei!"

* * *

Fubuki watched as her subordinates set up her room for hotpot. Her usually empty table was now crammed with quality ingredients that surrounded a boiling pot of stock. _**"Today is the day the Blizzard Bunch gets recognised for being acquainted with two S classes."**_ thought Fubuki as she checked the time. They should be here any second no-

There was a knocking on the door and a certain baldy's voice could be heard. "Yo, Fubuki! You in?" followed by the door being opened and footsteps closed in on the ESPer's room.

"Miss Blizzard, your guests have arrived." one of Fubuki's subordinates announced, to which she replied "Bring them in." Saitama's jaw dropped as he entered the room and saw the plates of ingredients he could only dream of getting a sale for.

"Whoa! All of this just for the three of us?" exclaimed Saitama, causing Fubuki to smile smugly.

"Well, I didn't know what you'd like so I figured why not a bit of everything!" Fubuki was delighted. Already she had claimed the favour of one S class. But now came... him. Genos, the one who refuses media, the cyborg that is always stoic. _**"He... will be difficult."**_ she thought to herself.

The three sat down for the meal of their lifetime, or perhaps just Saitama's lifetime. Saitama introduced Genos to Fubuki, winking to the cyborg. This did not escape the ESPer's eyes.

"It's a pleasure meeting you." Fubuki addressed the cyborg, who shook her outstretched hand.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Blizzard." replied Genos.

"Please, just Fubuki is fine." Fubuki was quite surprised by how much of a gentleman the S class was, considering the comments that could be seen on his page. She expected either socially awkward or complete douchebag. Perhaps this was because his "Sensei" was in the room with him.

"Of course."

A few minutes passed by, and Fubuki noticed something strange. Genos seemed to glance at her every so often, while Saitama made a few gestures to the cyborg. Overall, the two of them were acting suspiciously. That, and the otherwise complete silence, was starting to weird out the ESPer.

"Okay, what is with you two?" Fubuki questioned, crossing her arms to look stern.

"Huh!? Nothing, nothing at all!" Saitama waved his hands frantically. _**"Shit, she's observant."**_

"Sensei, I do not believe there is a need to be discreet about it." Genos deadpanned. "Besides, the guides I have found online insist on being forward."

"Forward about what, Genos?" The ESPer's eyebrows furrowed.

"Saitama Sensei thinks it would do you good if I were to date you, therefore, I must ask, will you allow me to court you?" Genos divulged his Sensei's plan, to which the bald hero facepalmed. It might have been too early, for the woman gaped at the cyborg.

"Co-could you... repeat that?"

"Will you allow me the honour of courting you?" Genos repeated, steely determination in his eyes. _**"Please say yes, or Sensei will be disappointed in me."**_

 _ **"D-D-date an S class?... That means... I'll have even more power! Hah, thank you god for this opportunity!"**_ Fubuki was ecstatic. If she agrees, she might finally have control over all of B class.

"Uh... I'm starting to think maybe this isn't such a good idea. I mean, you barely know each other." Saitama watched as Fubuki stared at his disciple in shock. It appears Genos managed to somehow break her. "You know what Fubuki, let's just forget this ever happe-"

"Yes!" exclaimed the ESPer. "Of course I'll date you!"

"Eh?" Saitama was a bit surprised Fubuki would agree to all, she only just met Genos minutes ago. _**"Meh. As long as it helps her with her issues."**_

"Good. Are you free tomorrow?" asked Genos

"Wait, so soon?" Fubuki was caught off guard, much to her dismay. She got date requests from men everyday, why would she be caught off guard now?

"Of course. I have only just met you, therefore I must spend more time getting to know you in order to be an adequate boyfriend."

Fubuki smirked. "Well, when you put it that way, who am I to say no?"

* * *

 ** _"... He's late."_** 10 minutes Fubuki waited. 10 painful minutes she sat at the restaurant she booked. 10 damned minutes passed the agreed upon time. Was she just stood up by Genos? "I knew it was too good to be true." the ESPer muttered to herself. As she prepared to leave, a certain cyborg burst through the door in a torn suit that was covered with... blood?

"Genos!? What happened?" Fubuki asked the cyborg

"I apologise for being late, Fubuki. I encountered a monster and had to deal with it."

"Yea, I guessed as much! I'm asking if you're okay."

"I am fine, Fubuki though the same cannot be said for my suit. My apologies." The cyborg looked slightly disappointed. _**"Now how will I impress her and complete Sensei's task?"**_

Fubuki stifled a giggle. Oh, this robotic dork. "It's fine. Come on, we have to get you changed."

"But our date-"

"I am not going to date you in this mess Genos! Besides, the restaurant wouldn't allow you in."

"I see. How much did the reservation cost you? I shall repay you, for it is my duty as-"

"Oh, shut up you moron. I have enough cash to cover the costs. Let's just get you cleaned up before we go somewhere else for our date."

Some time later, the two exited a shop with Genos in a new suit, which he insisted on paying for, and were wondering what to do when Genos' phone buzzed.

"Yes, what is it? Now? Are there no other competent heroes? I'm busy with a- very well." The cyborg sighed as he terminated the call, clenching his fist in frustration. "I apologise Fubuki, but there is a monster nearby that needs-"

"I'll come along."

"What?"

"I'll come along and watch. When you're done, we can go on our date."

"It is a demon level monster Fubuki. I do not wish to put you in-"

"Oh please, I'm the B class Rank 1 heroine Blizzard of Hell. Do you doubt my ability to handle a monster? Besides, I'll just watch." insisted the ESPer.

"... Very well. It is this way."

A few blocks ahead and the target was spotted. A large minotaur of some sort was destroying buildings and beating up whatever heroes stood between it and civilians, both C class and B class.

"AHAHAHAHAHA! IS THAT ALL? YOU HEROES ARE SO WEAK!" taunted the 10 foot cow.

"Incinerate."

A cone of fire headed towards the monster who managed to dodge in, but not before it singed his tail.

"YAOW! WHO DARES ATTACK TAUROS!" bellowed... Tauros. Are you serious?

Genos landed a few feet in front of the creature, charging up his arms. "I am Genos, and I am here to eliminate you."

"OH YEA? BRING IT." The minotaur charged at the cyborg, who leaped out of the way, sending a kick down on the creature's head. The monster was fast though, and leaped out of the way.

"OOOO YOU'RE A TOUGH ONE, ARENTCHA! I WILL ENJOY TEARING YOU FROM LIMB TO-" Before he could finish bragging, Genos launched several missiles towards the creature, followed by his signature blast of fire, effectively roasting the monster into a medium well steak.

"Wow, that was amazing Genos!" Fubuki walked over to the cyborg, doing her best to look entranced when in reality she was more annoyed by the cyborg ripping another suit. _**"No wonder he wore a sleeveless top when we first met."**_

"That was nothing." Genos detected a slight annoyance in the ESPer's tone and was about to apologise for the suit when he heard a weak chuckle from behind. The minotaur was still alive. Barely.

"Heh, you... won't be able... to say that... when you meet my crew..." Tauros remarked, before slumping.

"Crew?... FUBUKI! LEAVE THIS INSTA-" Too late. Genos and Fubuki were surrounded by 4 monsters, similar to the minotaur, but were different animals and were far larger. A rhino, a tiger, a eagle and a elephant.

"WE WILL AVENGE OUR FALLEN COMRADE!" Yelled the rhino.

"Shit, what do we do?" Fubuki whispered. She and Genos were back to back. They might be able to take on one each, but four...

"Listen closely, in three seconds, I will blind them. I will bring you to safety, so hold on tight!." Genos grabbed onto the ESPer and readied his thrusters. "Blinding lightning!" Fubuki gripped onto Genos and covered her eyes with his shoulders. She soon felt her feet leave the ground and the two landed on a building.

"Get out of here! I will hold them off!" Genos commanded. Unfortunately for them, the tiger had already caught up to them and punched the cyborg, sending him flying past Fubuki.

"Hahaha! Didn't you know cats have eyes that can adjust to lights? I, the king of the jungle, will eat you both!" the tiger charged, but was punched away by a very large, very furry, clawed fist.

"King of the jungle? HAH. Don't make me laugh." Fubuki recognised the voice and looked up. _**"Bunji?"**_

"Fubuki-sama, are you alright? Bang shishou will murder me if you aren't." The giant kitty cat checked Fubuki for wounds.

"I'm fine, Bunji-wait, Genos!" Fubuki turned to see the cyborg standing up, looking more pissed off than anything.

"I am fine, Fubuki. Please leave immediately, I will handle the rest with Beast King."

"Please don't. Me and the others are being tested by Bang, so leave it to us." The Beast King requested Genos, before jumping off to face the false king.

"We should get out of here, Genos." the Fubuki tugged at Genos' arm. The cyborg was still dead set on fighting.

"No, I must eliminate them for intruding on our date."

"Genos-"

"Genos-kun, please allow me to indulge in judging my disciples." A very familiar voice came from behind the two. Bang walked over with his hands behind his aching back.

"Bang jii-san!" Fubuki beamed. It had been a while since she saw Bang in person, no thanks to her hero work.

"Fubuki-chan, it has been a while. How have you been?"

"Just swell. I was supposed to be dating Genos until those things came along." Fubuki casually complained, and then she realised her mistake.

Bang raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Dating eh? Should I expect a great grandson sometime soon?"

"D-Dating? Oh no, I meant hanging out! Yea, ju-just hanging out, heheh." the ESPer stammered. Yea, the old man isn't gonna fall for that.

 _ **"It appears the awkward "talk" applies to grandfathers too, not just fathers."**_ mused Genos.

* * *

Hey guys, quick update, sorry again. I'm still shit at writing action scenes so the disciples vs animal things will be next chapter. I just wanted to get this small thing out instead of delaying it by a few days just to write lame action sequences.

So I just wanted to ask, do you think I should screw around with bonus chapters/OVAs for my filler story? Just a thought.

Insert cheesy thank you here, sorry I'm getting more and more lazy. School's gonna reopen in a few weeks and I'll have to deal with Secondary 4. Bugger.

* * *

Lightningblade47: I have no idea what CE will be doing in this story. King though, you little otaku shit, why do you have to be the hardest to solve.

wildarms13: So... wingman wingwoman combo? Eh, that might be fun.

Ander Arias: So do I. I guess I just expected ideas to come to me far easier when I said "4-5 days". I'll probably extend it to about a week or two in between updates by the time school rolls around. As to Genos and Fubuki... BorgBuki all the way.

Hektols: Ain't nobody good enough for her Imouto, amirite?

Scarletrailgun: SaiTatsu will be soon, I hope.

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	12. Chapter 12: Disturbance in the cosmos

In the middle of the city stood a most interesting sight. On one side, a beetle-man hybrid stood with a robot gorilla and a mosquito-woman hybrid. On the other stood a half man half elephant, eagle and rhino.

"I'll take the elephant. Mutsuko, go for the eagle. Atomu, eliminate the rhino." the beetle-man hybrid, Chikara commanded his allies. They were to go all out in this fight so their teacher, Bang could judge them. Determination filled their eyes as they rushed forward to take on their respective foes.

* * *

 _ **"I hope Genos can do what I could not. Maybe this will finally get him on the right track."**_ thought Saitama as he walked around City Z. Truth be told, he didn't think there would be any benefit to his plan other than helping out a friend's younger sister, then he remembered why Genos asked to be his disciple in the first place. _**"Heh, good job me, killing two monsters with one punch."**_ Better to keep the teen distracted then to send him to his doom chasing a mad cyborg.

The bald hero walked into a small oden stall. He was hungry after all, and he was far too lazy to cook. "One house specialty please." ordered the hero as he sat down. Saitama watched as the old man prepared his meal, when a somewhat familiar voice came from behind him.

"Oh, it's you! I'm so glad I found you, Saitama-kun."

"Eh?" Saitama turned around to see a bespectacled man in some kind of armour with a few bandages on his face and an arm sling.. "Do I know you?"

The man bowed an almost perfect 90 degree. "Thank you, Saitama-kun!" exclaimed the man.

"Whoa, careful of your injury dude!" Saitama quickly helped the weirdo back up. "And drop the formalities. Now, can you tell me if I'm supposed to know you?"

"I'm Mumen Rider, Siatama-k-"

"Dude, just Saitama."

"S-sorry. I'm Mumen Rider, the one who gave you a ride a few days ago." Saitama tried his best to remember the guy and in a span of 5 seconds "Oh! The guy with the bicycle! Sorry I didn't remember you dude, it must be your lack of a helmet." The bald hero rubbed the back of his neck. _**"Dang, how did I forget the guy after failing to save him and Genos?"**_

Mumen Rider chuckled at Saitama's slightly guilty look. "It's okay Saitama. B-by the way, can I buy you a drink?"

"Huh? What for?"

"Well... I saw what happened on the news. I still can't believe the people fell for your act, and I wanted to properly thank you as well as apologise for not being able to change their view of you." The injured man looked away at this, the guilt building up as he remembered his reaction upon watching the news. To think that this man would sacrifice his dignity for who were essentially strangers.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I was just doing what a hero would do, and that's doing what's right. Besides, I couldn't let them shit talk Genos and Tats."

"You mean S class Rank 2 and 15?"

"Yea, they're my friends. What friend would I be if I just stood there doing nothing, right?"

 ** _"Amazing... a true hero indeed. I must do what I can to improve the public's opinion on him, he deserves it."_** Mumen smiled. It had been a while since he met any hero with such a noble character and he had begun to lose hope. "Saitama, please allow me to buy you something, it's the least I could do."

Saitama felt a small smile. _**"Huh, he's as persistent as that guy..."**_ he watched as his food was prepared, and gave in to the hero's request. "Might as well. Hey, we'll have some mozuku, and some of the specialty for my friend."

"Coming right up!" the old man was smiling. It had been so long since he had any faith in those heroes.

* * *

Bang's disciples stood in front of the old master, anxiously waiting for their Shishou's judgement. They had finished their respective fights, all of them coming out relatively unharmed. Some cuts here and there, but it was nothing compared to what they used to deal with.

Bang opened his eyes, smiling. "You've all done well. We shall have celebratory hotpot tonight. You four get to decide what we have." His disciples cheered, one less evening of that strenuous training was a good thing. "Alright, head back to the dojo and discuss with the others. I shall be back in a while. Perhaps do the shopping while you're at it." Bang shooed off his disciples after they thanked him, and turned to face Genos and Fubuki.

"So, when was this a thing?" asked the old hero.

"When was what a thing Bang jii-san?" Fubuki feigned ignorance.

"Bang-san, if you are referring to me dating your... granddaughter, we have only just started." replied the cyborg. He was confused as to how Fubuki is the granddaughter of Silver Fang.

"Oh? But as far as I know, you two have never met. Did something... _happen_ , Genos-kun?" Silver Fang smirked, causing the ESPer to blush.

"We did not have sexual intercourse if that's what you're referring to, Bang-san. I-" Genos glanced at Fubuki, before leaning nearer to Bang, whispering "I was given a task by Saitama Sensei to help Fubuki with her lack of confidence. Do not worry, I intend to treat your granddaughter well." Bang chuckled, confusing the ESPer even more.

"Oh, I see. Very well, don't let this old man intrude on your date. Carry on." Bang walked off, disappearing at impressive speeds, especially for a man his age. Genos turned to face a very confused Fubuki.

"What did you say to him?" she inquired.

"It is nothing of importance, Fubuki. Now, shall we continue?" Genos extended his hand. "I would like to know more about you, starting with how you and Bang-san could possibly be related."

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _15+ years prior to events_

A girl, probably no older than 10, with long curly emerald green hair and eyes was steali-levitating food out of a fridge while a smaller girl with shorter, dark green straight hair kept watch. They had sneaked into a dojo of some sort on the top of a bunch of stairs which the two flew up and were trying to get a long awaited meal.

"Onee-chan, are you sure this is the right thing to do? Ma and pa-"

"Ma and pa aren't here, Imouto, they never will be. This is how we survive, on our own. We can't depend on others, Imouto."

"But-"

"No buts. Once we get enough to last a while, we'll get out of here. I promise, I'll even get you ice cream, okay Fubuki?"

"... Okay."

The elder sister continued to pillage the fridge while the other, presumably named Fubuki continued to stand watch.

"Okay, let's get out of here." The elder levitated Fubuki, along with the various items she took, and flew towards of the door, when an old man with spiky white hair and a moustache opened it.

"Oh, who do we have here?" The two girls froze in fear. They were just caught red handed.

"O-onee-chan, what do we do?"

"Oh,you do what any young girl would do in this situation. Put down the food, and tell me what's wrong." The old man replied for the older sister, who very quietly put down herself, her sister, and the stolen items. No sense in trying to get past the guy when he knew their faces.

The girl put on her best puppy face. She would have to beg the man to let them, or at least her sister, go. "I-I'm sorry, we just need food really badly. Just let us go, we won't be back here anymore, I-"

"Now now, who said anything about letting you go? I won't be able to live with myself if I let two girls starve." The old man chuckled to himself.

"I'm sorry I- huh?"

"Please, come with me. Let's get you both comfortable and I'll go prepare some lunch.

The old man set the two girls down somewhere, handing them apples from the pile of stolen food to keep them occupied. Satisfied, he headed to the kitchen to prepare a meal for four.

"Imouto, let's go while we still can." the girl grabbed the arm of her younger sister who was trying to eat the apple. _**"We can't depend on others. We can't. I won't allow it to happen again."**_

"But Onee-chan, he doesn't seem so bad. All he wants is to-"

"Keep us here until he calls the police. I don't want to end up in a cell again, do you?" the girl kept a stern face. Oh, how she hated to see the other like this. So oblivious, so naive... so like her. No, not her Imouto, anyone but her.

"N-no, Onee-chan."

"Good, lets-"

"Otouto, I apologise for being... late." Another old man, with a long white beard and longer white hair walked through the front door, raising his bushy eyebrows in confusion.

"Ah, Bomb, so glad you could join us." The old man walked out of the kitchen with a tea set.

"Otouto, you didn't tell me you had visitors. I would've brought something."

"Well, I didn't expect them either. Come, I'll tell you what happened over lunch."

Some time later, the four were enjoying a delicious meal cooked by the younger of the brothers. Well, three of them that is. One still had doubts.

"You have yet to touch your food, little one. It'll get cold." the moustached man noticed how uncomfortable the girl was. "Ah, still worried about what I'll do? Do not worry, I do not intend to report you to the police." The little girl looked up with a questioning gaze. **_"Oh dear, something must have happened to her to have so much hatred in those young eyes."_**

"As if. My sister and I are out of here as soon as she finishes her meal, and neither of you can stop us."

"If that is what you wish, I will not try. Please, hear me out." The old man only succeeded in further confusing the little girl who had her arms around her younger sister, probably because she thought he was some pervert or something. "Would you mind if I become both of your's caretaker?"

* * *

Present

Fubuki giggled to herself. Oh, everything that transpired after that point, thinking back, was so hilarious.

"I see, Bang adopted you and your sister when he noticed the plight you were in. That is kind of him." Genos had his hand to his chin. So that's why she called the master her grandpa despite the complete lack of any resemblance.

"Yup. And we're grateful for it. I think. My sister might still be miffed." Fubuki giggled again. And to think Tatsumaki screamed "pervert" at the top of her lungs, causing both the brothers to laugh. The face she made could only be described with one word. The dreaded "c" word. After that day, Bang and Bomb learned to never use it on the older ESPer.

"Anyway, we should get going Genos. You'll unfortunately need another suit." The cyborg took one glance at his torn top and frowned.

"I have a better idea."

* * *

Fubuki adjusted her position for the 10th time. Genos brought them to an apartment in City Z. A really tiny apartment. Apparently he lived with Saitama here. How the two could fit, she didn't know. The cyborg decided it would be too troublesome to get another suit just for a meal and promised to cook her whatever she wanted. Now here they were, the ESPer waiting for the housewi-cyborg to finish cooking.

"Genos, are you sure you don't need my help? I'm a capable adult, you know!"

"I am certain, Fubuki. It is my fault we are even in this predicament, so please allow me to do my part."

 _ **"Damn this dorky borg."**_ Fubuki smiled a little. She felt kind of guilty she was using him for her own selfish reasons. Oh well, it's not her fault that's how things work, was it now? A few minutes later, Genos reappeared with two bowls of ramen and some tea.

"I couldn't make anything of restaurant standards with what we have, Fubuki. Sorry." The cyborg bowed a perfect 90 degrees, causing the ESPer to have to stifle a giggle. She had dignity damn it!

"It's alright Genos. I still find it hard to believe you cook."

"I suppose it is weird." The two ate in silence, both unsure of what to say to the other.

 _ **"Damn, I forgot to research what to do in such a situation. I am a failure, Sensei."**_

 _ **"Okay, what now Fubuki? Make him think you've fallen for him? No, too soon..."**_

They were lucky though, and were quickly saved from the hands of awkwardness by the apartment door being opened and a certain baldy walked in.

"Eh? You two are done with your date already?" The hero plopped himself down, rummaging through the mess to find a manga to read.

"This is our date, Sensei. We had other plans but were interrupted." Genos moved to get Saitama his manga. He had taken it to himself to arrange the mess, and pulled it out in no time.

"Oh, thanks Genos. So uh, what happened during your date anyway?'

* * *

 _A class Rank 54 Carnage Kabuto VS Demon level Elephant man_

Chikara charged at the elephant with his fist pulled back but the enemy was quick and managed to dodge the attack, grabbing Kabuto's horn with his trunk and flinging the hero into a wall.

"How pathetic. Did you really think I'd just stand there, you ugly bug?"

Chikara pulled himself out of the wall, bits of rubble falling off his shoulders. "Heh, I figured you would be man enough to take a hit is all." The hero clenched his fists. "Carnage mode, FINAL STAGE!" Chikara entered his carnage mode, and squished the elephant to bits before he even had time to react.

"WELL THAT WAS PATHETIC!" yelled Kabuto as he returned to his normal state. "Man, if Shishou didn't expect the most out of us I could've had fun."

 _A class Rank 55 Beast King VS Demon level Tiger Man_

"Some King of the Jungle you turned out to be, stripes." The beast king stared at the mauled body in front of him. "Honestly Shishou, this wasn't fun at all. I wonder when he'll let us fight Saitama?"

 _A class rank 66 Armoured Gorilla VS Demon level Rhino man_

"I'll give you one chance to surrender since rhinos are an endangered species." Atomu mocked his opponent.

"Ooo you think you're funny don't you? We'll see who the endangered species really is!" The rhino jumped into the air and headed straight for Atomu, horn down. "DEATH FROM ABOVE!"

Armoured gorilla stood, calculating. _**"Wait for it... wait foooor it... HA!"**_ he caught the rhino at the very last second, smashing it into the ground. He pounded the monster with 50 punches a second, reducing it into a pancake.

"So much for improving. Hopefully the next foe doesn't die this easy."

 _A class Rank 68 Mosquito Girl VS Demon level Eagle man_

"You'll never beat PATRIOTISM you pest!" The eagle charged right at Mutsuko, who dodged the attack.

"Well, I might as well use you to test the doctor's alterations." Mutsuko focused all the blood in her to flow to her abdomen, causing her to transform into her "Outbreak" form. "Oh, it worked! Now then, were's Captain America gone wrong?"

"Right behind you!" The creature was suddenly cleaved in half by Mosquito girl, who had quickly appeared behind him.

"Oh, this is so exciting! I can enter this form at my will! The guys will be so happy to hear!"

* * *

"So let me get this straight, the old man's disciples easily killed the things that interrupted your date?" Saitama double checked.

"Pretty much."

"And you say Genos had problems dealing with the guy weaker than them?"

"Sensei, I can see where this is going. I assure you, the one I fought would have died sooner if I had my combat arms at the ready, but I only had the basics. The four of them seemed to be at their best, due to Bang's conditions. I apologise if I have disappointed you." Genos quickly interrupted his Sensei. He would not be outmatched by Bang's disciples, his Sensei's honour depends on it.

"Dude, chill. I'm just wondering if they've gotten any stronger. Who knows, maybe I can have a spar with them once in a while." Saitama scratched his temple. _**"Oh, maybe I can ask the old man."**_

"Sensei, you could always spar with me." Genos looked a bit disappointed, like a little sad puppy.

 ** _"Aww, his Sensei doesn't want to play with him."_** Fubuki had to stifle another giggle. Those two dorks.

"Yea but I have to be careful not to hurt you. Those guys can just be revived like they were in a video game!"

"Ahem." Fubuki cleared her throat to catch the attention of the two. "Hey, I just want to thank you for the meal Genos. And for letting me eat out of your fridge, Saitama."

"Oh, it's fine. Besides, you let us eat out of yours, didn't you? I guess we can call it even."

"Right. Genos, come here."

The cyborg walked over to Fubuki. "What is it?" He was thoroughly caught off guard when Fubuki planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks for your time, roomba." Fubuki walked off, leaving behind a very confused egg and toaster. "Huh, it felt just like the real deal. Well, hopefully that goes a long way in my plan." the ESPer muttered to herself.

* * *

Another shorter chapter, and an even longer wait. Bullocks.

First off, I apologise for the wait, I initially wanted to finish it yesterday but... passports happened. 7 hours I'll never get back. I still suck at action scenes, so I tried not to extend the fight between Bang's disciples and their respective opponents too much, coming up with the lame excuse of Bang telling them to go their all took a while to think of, much to my dismay.

Sorry if the quality of the story here is not up to par as well. I'm still trying to write the dark matter arc. Safe to say, only one or two more delay chapters until that comes along. Hopefully by then it would be satisfying. Also, school reopens soon, I hope to get the arc out by the end of next January so I can focus more on my studies. Critical year and all, and Singapore has decided "Fuck this generation", my year specifically. Smh.

Thank you for your patience. Shitty writer signing off.

* * *

Hektols: Well, that gives me an idea.

Bill Ci-A Certain Triangle: Yea, that I know. I'm still trying to improve, so I'm only going to upload a complete rework once I feel satisfied with my writing. Until then, you'll have to put up with this less than adequate story, sorry.

Ander Arias: Eh? I thought all adults were like that. Maybe it's just asians, or just those I know in general. As to the mating process... eh, Genos will incinerate the bridge when he gets to it. Tats... will be less than pleased.

wildarms13: Coming soon to a shitty story near you!

Makolik: How can one be so dense and stupid yet so wise at the same time?! Not even Genos knows.

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	13. Chapter 13: A Favour

"Genos... I know I'm the one who sent you down this path, but did you have to cross it this quickly?" Saitama questioned his cyborg disciple who now closely resembles a goldfish.

Fubuki had left 2 minutes ago, but not before planting a small kiss on the blonde's cheek which not only caused the poor teen to blow steam out his ears, it also caused Saitama to stare at his unmoving disciple with quite a few different emotions written all over his face, surprise being the most dominant one.

"Genos? Yo dude," Saitama poked the cyborg, causing even more steam to be released. "you've known her for like, 3 hours. In my experience, girls don't kiss you three hours into knowing you."

Genos very slowly turned to face his Sensei, creeping out the bald hero. "S-Sensei, Doctor Kuseno's upgrades..." Genos' face... was turning red. Wait, was Saitama dreaming? A blushing cyborg? "I fear the Doctor has set the sensitivity much higher than I... requested."

"Whoa, hold up," Saitama raised his palms to emphasise the point, "you telling me that now, not only can you blush, you blush like a horny teen?"

"It s-seems like it, Se-Sensei." Genos whipped out his mobile and dialed the doctor's number as he headed outside to the balcony.

Saitama slowly sat down, clutching his head. _**"What the hell have I done?"**_ thought the hero. _**"I've unleashed a cyborg with raging hormones on a friend's sister! I knew this was a bad idea!"**_ How will he ever face the sisters after this? How the hell will he face anyone after this? He knew how crazy dedicated to a task Genos can be, Fubuki will never have a moment to herself after this and it was all his fault!

"Saitama Sensei."

"Eh?" Saitama was brought out of his thoughts by said horny cyborg walking over to him.

"Doctor Kuseno has explained that he went against my wishes in order to make it feel more 'realistic' to what an actual 19 year old male might feel on his first date with a woman as-"

"Genos, the rule." interrupted Saitama.

"... The Doctor wanted my first date to feel real."

"Whoa, less than 10 words, you're improving Genos." Genos frowned at his Sensei's words.

"I do not deserve such praise, Sensei."

"Eh? Wh-"

"I won't be back in time to prepare dinner, forgive me Saitama Sensei." The blonde once again bowed a perfect 90 degrees.

"Uh... you're forgiven?" Saitama awkwardly replied.

Genos abruptly snapped back into position. "Thank you Sensei! Your heart is as big as-"

"Dude, just go fix your hormones." deadpanned Saitama.

"Yes Sensei!" Genos ran out the apartment door, slamming it shut before blasting off at full speed.

"Welp. I guess I'll make dinner." Saitama picked up his manga to waste the time when his phone rang. The bald hero picked it up with a huff. _**"Why does my me time have to be interrupted like this..."**_

"Is this Saitama-kun?" An old man's voice was on the other end.

"Yea yea, who is this and why are you using honorifics?" replied the bald as he picked his nose.

"Ah, I got the right number. This is Bang, Saitama-kun. I was wondering if you're free this evening."

"Oh, the old man. Yea I am, what's up?"

"There is something I must discuss with you. Shall we have it over dinner? My disciples and I are having hotpot." There was something cheeky in the old hero's voice.

Saitama began to drool as he remembered his previous meal with Bang. Oh, those lobsters. "Oh yea sure that's fine with me I wanna discuss something with you too." he replied like a machine gun, causing the other side to chuckle.

"Of course. See you in a few hours, Saitama-kun." The phone call was ended and Saitama returned to reading his manga, excited for what's to come. Screw the fact he wanted to duel the guy's students, he could have another lobster hotpot!

* * *

"That was almost too easy. It seems we found Saitama-kun's weakness students." Bang chuckled once again as his students prepared all the ingredients they bought for tonight. He didn't fail to notice a certain bug lady turn a little bit green.

...

Some time later, Saitama arrived at the entrance to Bang's dojo. He knocked on the sliding door as gently as possible. Footsteps could be heard along with a "I'm coming!" and Fujio opened up.

"Saitama-kun, we've been-"

"Okay, the old guy I can't argue with, but his disciples are not to use honorifics. It's weird." Saitama quickly interrupted. If he hears more than one voice using kun on him, he might actually ditch the hotpot, even if they have lob...sters. Okay, maybe not.

"Oh, I'll tell the others. Come in, we're almost ready." The frog man whom Saitama can't remember the name of ran off as the bald hero removed his boots.

As the bald entered the dojo, he could hear some muffled voices coming from the other room.

"...not to use honorifics on him."

"But Shishou said to. It is a form of respect!"

"But-"

Saitama slid open the door, revealing the frog man talking to the gorilla dude.

"Oh, Saitama-k-"

"No." Saitama raised his palm to stop the gorilla dude. Yup, as he suspected, his ears were starting to ring. "I get enough of this crap from Genos and the old man. I don't need all of you to get in on it too."

"Oh... very well, I'll inform the others." The top of the gorilla's head popped open, revealing a small satellite dish. Saitama stared in confusion for a second before shaking his head and walking off to find the old man... and the hotpot.

Somewhere, Mutsuko is chopping vegetables for the hotpot whilst humming a tune when she hears the sliding door behind her open. "Bang Shishou, the vegetable swill be ready s-"

 ***CLANG***

Mutsuko turned around, dropping the plate she was holding as she faced the man who just entered.

"Oh, bug lady, you okay?" Saitama bent down to pick up the pieces on the floor when Bang walked in behind.

"Ah Saitama-kun, you're here." The old master raised an eyebrow when he saw his guest picking up pieces of porcelain from the floor and a very shocked Mutsuko standing there with her hands clutching her chest.

"It is alright Mutsuko-chan, I'll take over." Bang walked over to the frightened teen, gently pushing her outside where he motioned Atomu and Fujio to take care of her. As the two calmed down the teen, Bang turned to witness Saitama attempting to piece the shards back together like a jigsaw puzzle but to no avail.

"Uh, sorry about the plate old man. And about Bug lady." Saitama rubbed his neck awkwardly.

"It is alright Saitama-kun. It is better for Mutsuko-chan to get over her fear of you, even if there are a few hiccups. Now come along, we have much to discuss."

Saitama followed the hero into the dining room where a table was set with items ranging in price from his favourite cabbage to those delectable lobsters. Bang motioned to the bald hero to sit next to him. As Saitama took his spot, the master's disciples walked into the room, though a certain mosquito is nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Mutsuko-chan?" asked the old hero.

"Uh, she says she's not hungry Bang Shishou." Bunji scratched his temple. "Something about feeling sick."

"You nimrod, she just remembered her death, of course she feels sick!" Chikara bonked the head of the lion who mockingly yelped in pain.

"Haigh, sit down, all of you. I'll speak with Mutsuko-chan. Treat our guest with the respect he deserves." Bang began to stand up when said guest pulled him back.

"I'm the one who caused this situation, I'll be the one to solve it. Enjoy your meal Bang, I'll have Mutsuko out in no time. Show me where she is Bunji." The big kitty lead Saitama to the back whilst the others stared.

"Holy crap... he looked fierce." Atomu muttered.

"He's gonna scare Mutsuko into a pupa!" worried Chikara.

"He remembered our names." Chuckled Bang. "I suspect we have nothing to fear, students. Saitama-kun is an exceptional human being, I am certain he can handle this." The old hero picked up his chopsticks, throwing every last bit of worry out his mind... except one.

"She's in there Saitama. Good luck." whispered Bunji. He tiptoed back to the dining room, leaving Saitama to his lonesome.

The bald hero took a deep breath as he knocked on the sliding door. "If that's you Bang, I told the guys I'm not hungry." came the muffled reply.

"It's not Bang, Mutsuko." A terrified gasp was quickly followed by silence, causing the bald hero to sigh deeply. "Look, I just want to talk. If you're not comfortable, I'll just leave. I refuse to ruin your dinner."

"... J-just give me a second." Saitama could barely make out a few sniffles as Mutsuko walked towards the door. As the sliding door opened, Saitama put on his poker face and unfolded his arms. No point in trying to be stern with her.

As Mutsuko walked out, Saitama noticed the fear written all over her body langauge. With one arm being held onto by the other and her head down, he could tell she was not ready to talk.

Saitama resisted putting his hand on her shoulder. Usually this is a reassuring gesture but he didn't know how someone he straight up murdered would react to his touch. "You okay?" despite knowing how she'll respond, he asked anyway. A small nod was all he received.

"No you're not. It's very obvious you're still afraid of me." Mutsuko was still silent. "Look, I'm sorry. I only did that because you were about to kill Genos. Now I have no reason to hurt you and I promise I won't. Will you please forgive me?" He extended his hand slowly, not wanting to frighten her any further. She still didn't respond.

Saitama sighed as he sat himself down which finally got the teen to speak.

"Wh-what are you d-doing?"

"Taking a seat."

"I kn-know. Why?"

"Because I'm not leaving until you can look at me without fear in your eyes. I might as well get comfy if it takes a while." Saitama pulled out his manga as he adjusted his position. "When you're comfortable with talking, just tell me." Miraculously, in about a minute, he heard his name being called.

"Hm?" The bald hero put down his manga to face the teen.

"I'm... sorry."

"About?"

"C-Causing you trouble."

"Oh, it's fine." Saitama stood up, extending his hand once more. "You sure you're not uncomfortable?"

"I... just a little, but I'll g-get over it." This time, Mutsuko took it.

"Alright! Let's go have hotpot."

The disciples fidgeted as they waited. Bang had instructed them not to eat until Mutsuko and Saitama show up so they had to sit still while everything in front of them tempts them.

"Bang Shishou, what if this takes forever?" asked Kamakyuri asked. The praying mantis was honestly starving after his workout. In fact, everyone was.

"Bah, Shishou wouldn't have told us to wait if he wasn't certain Saitama can do it. You... are certain, aren't you Shishou?" worried Bunji. Now that he mentioned it, Bang had been quite silent this whole time.

"... If you had focused, you would've heard their footsteps Bunji-kun." replied Bang. All at the table turned to see Saitama walking over with Mutsuko close behind and though she still seemed scared of the baldy, it was far less than before.

"Ah, Mutsuko-chan, how are you feeling?" asked Bang. _**"Heh. Of course Saitama-kun did it."**_

"F-Fine Bang Shishou." Mutsuko took her seat.

"Very good. You may all dine."

As everyone dumped ingredients into the boiling pot, Bang got the attention of Saitama who was busy deciding between pork and beef.

"Oh, what's up Bang?"

"May I speak to you in private?"

"Oh. Uh, sure, one sec." Saitama picked up some beef and a lobster, claiming it as his own as he dumped it with the pile of cabbage. "Alright, lead the way old man."

The two walked to the corridor housing the bedrooms. Bang walked to the one near the end and opened it up. Saitama noticed the room was labelled "Bang".

"Old man? Why are we going into your room?"

"There is something I want you to see, Saitama-kun." Bang opened the door and motioned for Saitama to follow him.

The room was... quite simple really. Aside from the bed, there was a few lights and a shelf with multiple trophies and medals. Bang walked over to said shelf and pulled out what seemed to be a picture frame. On the picture was a noticeably younger Bang and two young girls.

"Do you recognise them, Saitama-kun?"

It took a moment for it to click, but the long, curly, green hair of one and the dark green, short, straight hair of the other caused the lightbulb that is the hero's head to glow brighter than before. "Tats and her sister?"

Bang chuckled, a smile on his face as he remembered when he first met them. "Indeed."

"Wait, you're their grandfather?"

"Adoptive grandfather, Saitama-kun. This picture was taken a week after I met them when I officially became their legal guardian."

"Whoa, even Tats is smiling." Saitama was amazed. It was a small smile that can only be seen if you really tried and yet, Tatsumaki never smiled as far as he remembered, unless she was eating some kind of expensive treat. Even then, the smile was directed towards the food.

"Mm. That is one of the reasons I want to speak to you, but first let's deal with the main issue." Bang put down the picture frame and placed his hands behind his back. "Saitama-kun, I understand you have given your disciple the task of assisting Fubuki-chan with her... issue."

The bald hero froze in place. **_"Oh crap, is he one of those overly protective dads?"_**

Bang, seeing how uneasy the usually nonchalant hero was chuckled again. "Don't worry, I'm not going to 'lay it on you' as the youths say."

Saitama relaxed, just a tad, raising his eyebrow in confusion. "So uh.. about that-"

"Thank you."

"Huh?"

"Thank you for trying to help her, but I have to warn you about something."

"What is it?"

"You see... Fubuki-chan's insecurity stems from... a very problematic source."

"Eh, how problematic can it be?" doubted Saitama.

Bang only shook his head. "Before I tell you, I want you to ask, is Genos-kun doing it just because you asked him to? Does he... feel for Fubuki-chan?"

"Uh, if it means anything, he blushed like mad when Fubuki gave him a kiss on the cheek. Plus, I don't think Genos is the disloyal kind of guy if how he hangs around me is anything to go by." The old hero hummed in contentment. "So, just how problematic can it possibly-"

"Tatsumaki-chan is the source, Saitama-kun." Bang blatantly revealed, causing Saitama to once again freeze in place. "It is problematic because Tatsumaki-chan herself has issues, and I fear even I was unable to save them." continued the old hero. "I wanted to warn you that the path you and your disciple walk is one full of obstacles, and that if you continue on it, you will eventually hit the roadblock that is Tatsumaki-chan." Bang sighed as he remembered what happened when he faced this problem. "I fear, even with your immense strength, you will not be able to destroy whatever emotional walls my elder granddaughter has built. Perhaps, if you had appeared in their lives earlier, sure but-"

"Why?" interrupted Saitama. His 20 words rule has been broken but just this once he'll allow it. Long stories were never his kind of thing but if it helps him help the ESPers, he'll deal with it. "Explain to me why, Bang."

"Well, you see, when Tatsumaki-chan was just a kid..." Bang hesitated, facing the floor as he tried to control himself. "she was taken to a facility where they ran numerous... tests on her. They isolated her from the rest of the world, including her own sister and her parents who sold her in the first place."

"Whoa, hold it. Tats' parents SOLD her to the facility?"

"From what Tatsumaki-chan has told me from her vague memories, they were offered a huge sum and were promised that she would be treated with much care. Obviously it was a lie, but her parents were... greedy enough to accept it."

"Greedy? Not even desperate, greedy?"

"Yes. Such treatment drove Tatsumaki into the mindset that no one could be trusted, bar her Imouto who, a few years later, was also taken to the facility. Even though the tests ran on her were nothing compared to those Tatsumaki-chan experienced, it was enough to really drive home that mindset. Even now, she still refuses to trust others. It took me 10 years to break past her walls, Saitama-kun. 10 agonising years as I watched her try to drill the very same mindset into Fubuki-chan." Bang paused again, wiping a tear off his face. "And that's not all. You see, the reason Tatsumaki-chan and Fubuki-chan even escaped that dreadful place in the first place was because of a monster.

"What?!" exclaimed Saitama. "Were they hurt?!" the bald hero could only imagine how traumatised they were.

"No, the monster was killed by a hero, the very same hero Tatsumaki-chan insisted on being S class Rank 1 when she entered the association."

"Oh. Wait, who?"

"Blast, Saitama-kun. When Blast rescued Tatsumaki-chan, he told her-" Bang took a deep breath as Tatsumaki's venomous words came back to him, "He told her, "Don't expect someone to save you every time."

Saitama didn't say a word, but Bang noticed a small aura of anger coming off the hero.

"Not only does Tatsumaki-chan refuse to trust anyone, she insists that the only way to survive is to depend on yourself. She constantly scolds Fubuki for being so weak and for making friends with anyone she deems a weakling. It has gotten better, but the scars are still there. That is why I wish to speak to you, Saitama-kun." Bang's expression softened. "You are the first person since myself and my brother to have entered my granddaughter's circle. And you did it in such a short amount of time..." The old hero gave a soft laugh, "I believe you are the only one who can possibly save her. Saitama-kun, would you do this old man a favour? Do what I could not, and bring the old Tatsumaki back, the one before all this madness." Bang pleaded. This was it. If Saitama pulls out, there was no one else.

Tension filled the air as Saitama stayed silent. Bang let out a sigh as he closed his eyes once more. "My apologies, I shouldn't have trou-"

"I will, Bang. I swear on my life, I will."

* * *

And that's the chapter. First off, I don't know how to do trauma so I apologise if Mutsuko's situation seems unrealistic. Also, I suck ass at emotional scenes, so sorry if the whole ordeal near the end makes you cringe. Apparently studying other author's writing is as hard as studying in general, and my lazy brain doesn not want to cooperate.

Anyway, the dark matter chapter is coming along, so hopefully after the next delay chapter I'll have it out. Hopefully the changes I made aren't too bad. Thanks for the patience guys.

* * *

Ander Arias: Oh, I'm getting a lot of practise alright... damn pirates. Tats should appear soon.

Hektols: Oh the possibilities...

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	14. Chapter 14: Emotions are Annoying

Saitama returned home that night full to the brim with expensive cuisine. The night was full of happy chatter and food, even Mutsuko was willing to converse with him, though it was very clear she's in the beginning of the recovery phase. As the hero dried himself off after a relaxing shower, he changed into his pajamas and sat down, thinking about what had occurred.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _A couple of hours prior_

Bang, with tears in his eyes, gave the bald hero his thanks. "I don't know what I can do to repay you, Saitama-kun."

Saitama blushed a little bit. This was almost as bad as that candy incident back when he still had hair. "You don't have to Bang. Just think of it as payment for the lobsters, alright?"

Bang shook his head, quickly returning to his cool facade. "Of course Saitama-kun. I did not mean to disrespect your-"

"For the love of god, don't start. Let's just go have hotpot, okay?"

"Yes, of course. But uh, Saitama-kun?"

"Yea?"

"Might I ask how you plan on helping my granddaughter?"

"Eh, I figure Genos and Fubuki will fall in love, then Genos will give her a talk about how she isn't weak and isn't just a nobody. The kid's real good with talking." Saitama had his finger on his chin, imagining how the whole scene will play out. It was a little bit... too mushy for his tastes, but it should work.

"I'm referring to Tatsumaki-chan, Saitama-kun." Bang inwardly chuckled. **_"Avoiding it already, Saitama-kun?"_**

"Hm? Oh, I'll have to try and get her to make more friends I guess. Let her know there's more to relationships than strength alone. If nothing else, I'll at least get her to trust others again, isn't that what you want?"

Bang hummed in agreement. "A feasible idea Saitama-kun, but don't you think it would take more than a few friends to help her?"

"Eh? What do you mean old man?"

"Well... similar to your plan with Genos-kun and Fubuki-chan, don't you think you could..." The old hero wiggled his eyebrows to get the point across, though it couldn't penetrate the dense chromedome.

"I could what?"

Bang let out a sigh, how someone so seemingly wise could be this dense is beyond his comprehension. "Wouldn't it be better if you and Tatsumaki-chan were in a relationship? That way she'd truly love and trust someone."

Saitama froze once more. **_"Did I just get played?"_**

Bang, seeing the bald stiffen, chuckled. "Why not? You seem like a good person. I'd be happy if Tatsumaki-chan is wedded to you."

"I... listen Bang, I uh..." Saitama paused to think about his words. He'd rather not piss the old man off with his blunt nature, not when the lobsters were on the line. "Ever since I became a hero, since I've gained this strength... I've kinda... I dunno, been less human?"

Bang raised his eyebrow, but stayed silent, gesturing for the hero to continue. Saitama sighed as he prepared to break his '20 words or less' rule.

"It's just... I kinda feel numb, like I don't have any emotions. I mean, I still do, but only for certain things. I can't really explain it but in general, I'm just... incapable of loving people and stuff. Ever since I met Tats, I've never seen her as more than a friend. I don't wanna jump into a relationship when I could make everything worse by being an insensitive asshole. I mean, my first girlfriend broke up with me 2 years into my training for precisely that reason, you get what I mean?" Saitama rubbed the back of his neck as Bang slowly nodded.

"I understand Saitama-kun. Still, I cannot help but notice no one but you has gotten this close to Tatsumaki-chan this quickly. I am quite certain you are her only hope of ever entering a relationship beyond something platonic, are you certain you won't try?" Bang pleaded again. He could tell the bald really did mean her well, and yet, something in the back of his mind is nagging at him to push it with all his might. Could his instincts really have rotted with old age?

"I mean... if I feel something, I'll give it a go. But for now, I'm content with helping her purely as a friend. Nothing more." Saitama did his best not to look into Bang's eyes. Old people always have this weird effect on him that just makes him wanna do what they ask. This was something he can't risk.

"Haigh, very well Saitama-kun. Well, let's not delay dinner any longer, we wouldn't want overcooked food now would we?" Saitama nodded and began to drool at the thought of lobsters. "One more thing, Saitama-kun," Bang pulled the bald hero out of his dream, "could you keep this conversation between us? I only know so much because Fubuki-chan told me what Tatsumaki-chan told her. I'd rather not lose my years of hard work just like that." Saitama nodded, running off, not catching Bang letting out another sigh. "I'll just have to try..." muttered the old man and he pulled out his phone.

* * *

Present

The bald hero let out a sigh. He never thought he'd open up to Bang of all people. Old people just have that kind of effect on him. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if he really did have an impact on the petite ESPer's life. If he did, just how much guilt would he feel, knowing he couldn't do more? He sure as hell couldn't enter a relationship with her, and from what Bang told him, no one else could either. Shaking his head, Saitama went back to his manga when his phone rang.

Saitama picked it up, noting to himself to change the custom ringtone that was just a repeating 'Sensei, please pick up.'

"Hello? Is this Saitama?"

"Yea, and who's this?"

"I'm Kuseno, we met briefly when you brought my boy to the lab for repairs." An image of a small old man with a really pointy nose and an outrageously huge bowl cut appeared in Saitama's brain.

"Ah, what's up? And why are you using Genos' phone to call me?"

"Ah, straight to the point, like Genos said. It's simple, I don't have your number. As to 'what's up'. he wanted me to let you know the custom arms he has requested will take a while, and that he would like to apo-"

"Ah for fu-okay, I get it. I don't really care. Anything else?" Saitama quickly interrupted. The doctor on the other side chuckled, slightly annoying the bald hero. **_"Why do old people always do that?"_**

"He wanted to know if you were free tomorrow afternoon, Saitama."

"And why would he care?"

"Well, he'd like you to accompany him on his date, that's why."

"What? Why the hell would Genos want me to play the third wheel?"

"Ah, something about 'helping Sensei with his emotions' as he put it."

A few things went through Saitama's head. The first being how the hell did the kid know, the second being why this method and the third if a certain spiky haired old dude has something to do with this.

"Yea, no. I'm not gonna be the third wheel."

"Oh, that is unfortunate. He said something about a fantastic restaurant with all you can eat udon." Now this got Saitama's attention.

"Ah, what was that about all you can eat udon?" Another chuckle from the doctor.

"You can have as much udon as you'd like in this restaurant, along with whatever else they serve. Genos says he'll be paying for all of you and the lady's expenses.

With twitchy eyes and a drooling mouth, Saitama quickly changed his mind, earning himself one more cheeky old chuckle.

"Alright, I'll let him know, thank you for your time Saitama, have a good night."

* * *

"You were right Genos. Your Sensei has a weakness for food." Kuseno mused, his adoptive son nodding in agreement.

"Yes, I have noted it is one of the only things that can make him happy."

"I still find it funny you convinced him this easily Genos. From what Bang jii-san told me, he's a hard nut to crack." A certain green haired ESPer spoke.

"Yes, and I am grateful for Bang-san informing me of Sensei's situation. You must help me thank him, Fubuki."

Indeed, Bang had informed Genos and Fubuki of the situation. Genos, being the great disciple he is, agreed in no time. Fubuki on the other hand, felt extra cheeky from the talk she had with her Onee-chan, and could see Bang's point, so she joined in on the plot. Of course, Bang omitted the part the part about her and Genos' relationship being a plan, much to the cyborg's relief. Now, the trio had to prepare themselves for the next day, where they would have to accomplish a very difficult task: Make Saitama human again, so that he may make Tatsumaki happy again.

* * *

As Saitama arrived at the address Genos gave him, he noticed a few things out of place. Not only was this not a restaurant, it was the headquarters of Fubuki. Adding to that, said ESPer was standing outside, along with the teenage cyborg and... the goddamn old man. Feeling a vein pop, Saitama marched over to the three.

"Just what the hell is going on?!"

"Ah, Saitama-kun, please calm down. We will explain everything inside." Bang walked up to Saitama, trying to calm him down.

"Oh hell no, I'm not going to sit around while you three give me long ass talks about-"

"Sensei! There is a mass of food inside, I would rather we talk while we ate, would you not?" Genos glanced over at Fubuki.

"Yea," said the ESPer, "we just want to help you. It's not right you know, being numb to emotions. Don't worry, we'll try to keep it short."

Saitama, seeing all of their pleading eyes, could only sigh as he agreed to this bullshit. **_"If nothing else, I'll get a free meal... been having quite a few of those though, wonder why."_**

As Saitama chowed down on another gyoza, the staring of the other three finally got on his nerves. "Okay, what do you want to talk about? And can we please make this quick?"

Bang was the first to speak. "As you know Saitama-kun, I believe you are the only one with a chance of helping Tatsumaki-chan, and I believe being in a relationship with her is the best way to do so."

"And yet," continued Genos, "because of your numbed emotions, you cannot do so as you fear you may do more harm than good."

"And so here we are, trying to fix that, so that my Onee-chan can finally get the life she deserves." Ended Fubuki.

Saitama took a deep breath as he placed his hands over his head, sighing heavily. The other three waited in anticipation as their 'Only hope', 'Sensei', and 'Saving grace' respectively silently contemplated whether or not he should continue with this. Miraculously, the bald hero slowly nodded. "I'm only going to do this because you guys seem so determined. And because... cuz I myself will never have a clean conscience if what you say is true. I'd rather not fail as a hero, you know..."

Bang hummed in content, Fubuki inwardly cheered and Genos... he went into full on monologue mode. "I am glad, Sensei. Rest assured that I, as your disciple, along with Bang-san and my girlfriend, Fubuki will assist you in regaining your emotions. I will not rest until the day I see you smile for something other than sales and food, I will not rest until you, Saitama Sensei, am happy, for you are the greatest hero, and you deserve it, and no one can ever convince me other-"

"TWENTY WORDS OR LESS GENOS, FOR GOD'S SAKE!" exploded the bald hero, causing Fubuki and Bang to explode in laughter, which only further escalated Saitama's frustration. "I'M SERIOUS HERE! TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT OR I'M LEAVING!"

Unfortunately, before any more words could be said, a man in a suit burst through the door, panting heavily. "SILVER FANG-SAMA! YOU ARE NEEDED AT THE ASSO-OH, GENOS-SAMA, SAITAMA-SAMA! I'M SO LUCKY YOU'RE HERE TOO! ALL S CLASSES ARE NEEDED AT THE ASSOCIATION! WE HAVE A POSSIBLE GOD LEVEL THREAT!"

Saitama let out a confused 'eh?', Bang sighed, muttering to himself, Genos cursed the man's horrible timing and Fubuki just facepalmed, with quite some force might I add.

"Well, I might as well come along. These guys always exaggerate, we can continue this when it's over." Commented the ESPer

"Ah?! But Blizzard-sama, only S classes are-"

"Fubuki comes with. Argue, and you will be incinerated." Genos placed a menacing glare at the poor dude, who just continued sweating bullets. The four of them got on to the helicopter, and were soon dropped off outside of City A's branch of the Hero association headquarters.

"I am sorry Genos-sama, but Blizzard-sama MUST stay out here, orders of the higher ups!" The association member bowed, praying to god he doesn't die this day.

The ESPer let out a sigh, pushing the three S classes on. "It won't hurt if I just wait here, right? Just get this over with quickly." Genos very reluctantly pulled away, cursing the association member once more for stalling his task, Bang and Saitama following close behind.

* * *

EDIT: Added a single line. Thank you Ander Arias once again for pointing out my very obvious mistake.. goddamnit.

Welp, here we go. Next up, Dark matter pirates.

First off, I hope you guys had a great holiday, and happy new year. So, this is the last delay chapter, and I apologise for it being so short. I just needed a segway into the DMP arc, so I just decided to start with Saitama's path to a relationship here. This probably feels so goddamn rushed, so sorry. I can't wait any longer ('-'). Hopefully I don't disappoint too much... Oh, and thank you all for the- ***squints eyes just to confirm once more*** \- 20k+ views!

* * *

Hektols: Oh thank god. Let's just hope everything else I write feels natural, too.

Ander Arias: So glad you enjoyed it! And yea, I'm planning on having that happen some time in the future. Glad I managed to _somehow_ make that work. Emotional scenes are so damn hard to write. As for the fight... I have something similar in mind, may or may not involve the three of them fighting the heroes.

Guest #1: Uh... I haven't really thought of that. I don't know of anyone in the OPM universe who would fall in love with a literal bug lady, so I'll see what I come up with.

Guest #2: Aside from the whole timeline making 'Saitama is Blast' impossible, that's another reason I won't go down that path. From the little we know of Blast, he and Saitama are two very different people, and if the whole 'Don't expect someone to save you' line isn't enough to prove it, the crazy theorists will just have to wait for the epic reveal to have their hearts shattered.

Elfetrange: Happy new year to you too! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you and the other readers still can in the future. As to Blast... yea, no idea what to do with him honestly. I mean, I got a few ideas...

wildarms13: Hell naw! You don't fall in love with someone who killed you and scarred you, do you?...

Guest #3: Thanks for the suggestion, but I now have a rough idea of how this will go. Turns out the random crap my brain thinks as the days go by isn't that useless after all.

dat very EPIC, Review 1 and 2: Yea, I know. I still can't believe I didn't shit myself the first time I realised that! I guess I'm just lucky I got so many great writers who not only stumbled onto my story, but took their time to read and critique it! Still trying not to shit myself every time I have to respond to them...

dat very EPIC, Review 3: ***Walks over to a wall, banging my head on it*** Prepare yourself for a long excuse. Basically, I initially wanted some of the pieces to still land, but I figured that was doing a disservice to Tatsumaki's insane strength, so I initially went along with the brothers just dissing Saitama for stealing her credit. Then I watched the episode to get an idea as to how the assh-blackhole's speech would go, and I guess it just ended up slipping into the story with the whole meteor destruction thing. I probably should get to fixing that soon, shouldn't I?

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	15. Chapter 15: Shoop da whoop

_Some time before the events of last chapter_

A phone was ringing in the room, causing the owner who was in bed to shift. Suddenly, Tatsumaki awoke with a start, panting. The ESPer slowly tried to calm herself as she forcefully pulled her blanket off her, slowly drifting the phone to her. With a tired sigh, she answered the call.

"What the hell do you want now?"

"Tornado-sama, all S class heroes are to report to A branch for a very important meeting! It is a possible god level threat!" Came the anxious reply.

Tatsumaki massaged the spot in between her eyes, attempting to control her very limited patience. "Fine, but I swear, if you exaggerated one more time, I'm tearing the whole building down." the ESPer ended the call as she "dragged" herself to her bathroom.

She noticed just how late it was, and cursed herself for actually taking up her Imouto's challenge, despite knowing just how much of a lightweight she was. As she turned on the shower, images from her recent nightmare filled her head once more. The Sea King, grinning as it stood over two bodies. One was bloody and bruised, the other was melted with acid. The first belonged to an old man with spiky white hair, and a moustache. The second was a hardly recognisable woman, save some dark green hair and most of her lower half intact. Tatsumaki shuddered, cursing herself once more. Since when did tears come this easily? Since fucking when?

* * *

 _Present_

Bang, Genos and Saitama exited the elevator. Some guy in front of them turned around and greeted the old hero.

The guy had a red cape with an atom on it draped over a typical samurai outfit. His hair was tied in a topknoght and he sported a small goatee. To top it all off, he was chewing a blade of grass.

"It has been a while, Atomic Samurai." replied Bang.

"I knew you'd come. I suppose they are the new recruits Genos and Saitama." the Samurai correctly guessed.

"Nice to meet you middle aged dude!" Saitama greeted with his hand outstretched, but Atomic Samurai swatted away the gesture.

"I only acknowledge the strong. I'll greet you properly once you get to the top 10." The hero turned and walked off, not noticing Genos getting quite pissed. "Besides, I'm not middle aged. I'm 37."

 _ **"He certainly looked middle aged."**_ thought the bald hero when a familiar high pitched voice caught his attention.

"What are YOU doing here egghead? Is your life not boring enough?" Tatsumaki flew over to the trio with her arms crossed.

"Oh, hey Tats. I'm just here to see if they've got something for me to do." Saitama replied. He was mentally debating whether or not to tell Tats about Bang's plan, though he decided against it.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you cue ball, but these meetings are the worst part of being a S class."

"Oh. That sucks." deadpanned the egg. **_"I should've brought along a manga."_**

As if reading his mind, Genos pulled a manga out of nowhere and handed it to Saitama. "Sensei, I have a copy of one of your mangas here."

"Oh, thanks Genos." Saitama opened up the manga and began reading, completely forgetting the reason he was here in the first place.

"Saitama-kun, we should head inside. We wouldn't want to keep everyone waiting." Bang pointed at a door in front of them. Thankfully, Saitama got the message and they were soon seated at a table with the rest of the S class heroes.

* * *

 _Rank 18 Puri-Puri Prisoner_

A large muscular 33 year old man with a stubbly cleft chin, large lips and bushy black hair. He has a well defined jawline and light blue eyes with long eyelashes. he wears a traditional prison jumpsuit with white and blue stripes. He is a known homosexual who falls for anything remotely handsome, ally or otherwise, even though he has a boyfriend. Used to be Rank 16 until Genos and Saitama showed up and took over him and Metal bat simply because Tatsumaki herself recommended them.

 _ **"So he's the one those rumours speak of? He doesn't look like much."**_

 _Rank 17 Metal Bat_

A 17 year old teen with black hair styled into a pompadour and dark eyes that bring out the anger he is constantly giving off. he wears a red long sleeved turtleneck and black bontan pants. As stated earlier, he always has an aura of anger, and is known to hate anything and anyone except his sister. Used to be Rank 15 until Genos and Saitama took over him and P-P-P respectively, simply because a certain brat recommended them.

 ** _"Ugh, I have to work with these two? They don't even look so tough. This better be good, or I'll smash everyone's head in."_**

 _Rank 16 Saitama_

A 25 year old bald man of average height and weight. He dons a yellow jumpsuit with a white cape and red gloves and boots. He somehow manages to keep a poker face no matter what happens. He is a suspected fraud, and yet, his actions during the 'Sea Folk Invasion' seem to show otherwise. Took P-P-P's spot simply because Tatsumaki recommended him.

 ** _"Man, how long till this meeting starts? I'm so bored."_**

 _Rank 15 Genos_

A 19 year old cyborg with blonde hair and synthetic skin. The only part of him that's human is his brain. Commonly seen with a sleeveless top that many believe is his style, when it's really for convenience, and black pants. Very popular with the fangirls simply because of his "stoic" nature and good looks. His pierced ears also makes him quite popular with "emos". Took over Metal Bat's spot simply because Tatsumaki recommended him.

 _ **"This must be an important matter if most of the S classes responded."**_

 _Rank 14 Tank Top Master_

Tall muscular 22 year old male with short, dark blonde hair and brown eyes. He is in charge of the Tank Top Army and wears a blue tanktop, black jeans and a belt with his initials engraved on it. Often seen with a stoic face and is regarded by many as one of the only respectable heroes, due to his far more humble nature, and his willingness to acknowledge his weaknesses.

 _ **"Ah, he is the one my brothers disrespected. I must apologise to him properly when this is over."**_

 _Rank 13 Flashy Flash_

25 year old male with long blonde hair with bangs brushed to the right, a dark blue bodysuit that showcases his... feminine body, metallic bracers over his arms and upper chest armour with a long white cape. Two eight pointed stars are on his head and cape and he has a chain strapped around his waist to hold onto his sheath and sword. Barely ever speaks and when he does, it's usually because he was spoken to first. It is said that he can move as fast as light.

 _ **"..."**_

 _Rank 12 Watchdog Man_

No one knows much about Watchdog Man, not even his age. All people really know is that he wears a white and furry dog suit, with only his face where the mouth of the dog is to prove he is human, and that he is the bodyguard of City Q. His face is very similar to Saitama's, in that he shows no emotions and looks bored as hell.

 _ **"*Sniff* *Sniff*... Someone farted."**_

 _Rank 11 Superalloy Darkshine_

Very tall, very muscular, bald dark skinned 27 year old male. His well defined pectoral and abdomen muscles are always on showcase as the only piece of clothing he wears is a single black underwear covering just enough for him to maintain his dignity. Very proud of how shiny he is and is not afraid to brag about it, much to the displeasure of everyone around him. No, he is not naturally dark skinned.

 _ **"They're** **checking out my guns! Hell yeah!"**_

 _Rank 10 Pig God_

A large, obese, 29 year old male with short, brown hair and big lips. He is extremely large and obese, with several layers of fat all over his body. Whilst many believe Pig God does not deserve his rank, his inhuman digestive system has kept him there despite the public's opinion. There is a rumour that this man's rotund body holds a power that is the real reason he is an S class.

 ***Really loud chewing.***

 _Rank 9 Drive Knight_

A mysterious man with long black hair with a white mask concealing his head. A glowing red eye is in the slit that covers where his eyes should be, and his voice comes out of three holes where the mouth should be. His armour closely resembles that of a medieval knight, he is more known for his ability to change between multiple forms.

 _ **"So he goes by Genos now..."**_

 _Rank 8 Zombieman_

As mysterious as Watchdog Man himself, Zombieman has short, scruffy black hair, red eyes, and as his name suggests, very pale skin. The trench coat he wears over his singlet, along with his axe and Desert Eagle, makes him look more like a survivor in a zombie apocalypse than an actual Zombie. This is because his hero name was based on his regenerative capabilities. Though he is the physically weakest of the S classes, his supposed immortality keeps him in the top 10.

 _ **"This meeting was meant to be important, yet no one seems particularly enthusiastic. And that pig is getting on my nerves..."**_

 _Rank 7 King_

A tall, lean 29 year old blonde male with shoulder length hair. Infamously known as "The Strongest man in the world", any monster that stumbles upon the stoic man, with the three vertical scars over his left eye and his sunken cheeks and defined jawline cower in fear. It doesn't help that the 'King Engine',a really loud thumping noise emitted by the hero, lets you know just how fucked you are. He isn't atop of S class because he is rarely seen outside, and hardly ever does any heroic deeds. Still, the association keeps him in, not only because of his strength, but because they fear what would happen if they didn't.

 ***Loud thumping***

 _Rank 6 Metal Knight_

No one knows who the hell is Metal Knight, only that he has an army of robots he uses to carry out his duties. His deadly arsenal is a constant source of destruction, even to the citizens he is supposed to protect. Though many despise the hero, the things he has done for humanity cannot be overlooked, thus he stays in S class.

MIA

 _Rank 5 Child Emperor_

A 10 year old prodigy who is somehow still stuck in school. The boy has short brown hair and amber eyes. He is never seen without his backpack where his multitude of inventions, and presumably lollipops, are stored. He is known to work in a laboratory located somewhere in City Y, and is rumoured to be the disciple of Metal Knight.

 _ **"Rank 1 is a no show again? I wanted to meet him."**_

 _Rank 4 Atomic Samurai_

A 37 year old male with long black hair that is tied up in a topknot. He has dark green eyes and a prominent jawline. He sports a small goatee and is usually seen chewing on a blade of grass. Don't let his traditional Samurai outfit fool you, the man can do more than just slice things. Well, he does, but his feats make him a feared yet respected member of the S classes.

 _ **"I wonder if Silver Fang's disciples would spar with mine."**_

 _Rank 3 Silver Fang_

An 81 year old male who walks with a slight hunch in his back. He has light blue eyes and white spiky hair, and a thick white moustache and eyebrows to match. He is hailed as the worlds greatest martial artist, along with his brother, and is very well respected by all the heroes, not just the S classes. Even Tatsumaki looks up to the old man, though no one knows how he did it. His calm demeanour never fails to destroy whatever tension is in the air and as long as he shows up, no hero would ever fear for their lives.

"So, why were we all called here?"

 _Rank 2 Tornado of Terror_

One of the few females in the hero association, Tatsumaki is the hero everyone looks up to, literally. The 28 year old is constantly in the air, and though she claims it is because she refuses to be on the same level as weaklings, people suspect it is due to her small stature. Despite her child like size, her emerald green eyes are filled with enough anger to send chills down anyone's spines, and if that isn't enough, she is known as "The World's Strongest ESPer", her power known by all who dare cross her. The green haired lady is the one hero no one dares to acquaint themselves with, though a few have miraculously succeeded, Silver Fang being the most notable.

"Who knows? If they made me wait for something ridiculous, I'm going to tear this damn building apart."

 _Rank 1 Blast_

All people know about Blast is the hero is a male, and was placed atop S class when the Tornado of Terror, the very first S class, asked that it be so, leaving her as S class Rank 2. It is said that if a God level threat were to appear, only he, along with King, can stop it.

MIA

* * *

The loud thumping of the 'King Engine', the even louder chewing of Pig God, and the flipping of pages in a manga of Saitama was all that could be heard as tensions in the room built up.

"Ugh, the time they make us wait is getting ridiculous." growled Tatsumaki. Her patience was increasingly being tested, and she could just feel her restraints snapping.

"Yea, and your face isn't helping, brat." quipped Metal Bat, accent and all, not helping the situation whatsoever.

"Brat? BRAT?! Do you want to know how your bat tastes when I SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS?! I'M OLDER THAN YOU!" barked the ESPer, causing the pompadour's chair to levitate menacingly.

"THEN QUIT COMPLAINING AND ACT LIKE AN ADULT FOR ONCE!"

"WHY YOU LITTLE-" Before anyone could be injured, Bang placed a hand on the ESPer's shoulder, telling her to calm down. Even though the other S classes have seen this before, they still could not help but be surprised at it actually working.

"When will you let us in on your secret, Silver Fang?" chuckled Atomic Samurai, causing a vein to pop in Tatsumaki's head.

"Shut up you old buffoon! The only reason your ass hasn't been handed to you is because Bang saved your worthless life, don't you forget it!" The samurai's face turned into one of discontent as he remembered the first time he ever spoke to the ESPer. Truly, if it weren't for Bang jumping in, he'd be quite dead.

"Still, I'm getting kind of bored. When does this thing start?" agreed Saitama, when the door to the room opened up, revealing three members of the association, one of them has a bulbous nose and grey hair parted to the right, one of them has silver round-framed spectacles and brown hair, and one of them has spiky black hair and some stubble.

The man with a bulbous nose walked up to the table, "I apologise for the wait. We were trying to find Metal Knight and Blast, but their whereabouts are unknown. I suppose we must begin without them. My name is Sitch," announced the man, "I am with the association, and I will be briefing you today. You heroes are here today because you are the best of the best, and now," he slammed his hands on the table, "we are asking you to save the earth!" All the heroes were silent, bar Pig God, who was still munching on some hamburgers. It seems they are quite used to this kind of announcement. "However, even with your skills, I fear there is no guarantee of survival." Sitch looked around the table. Noticing how the heroes didn't have any change in facial expression, he continued. "Walking away takes courage too, and should any of you leave now, there will be no consequences. Those who stay however, will not be allowed to drop out after. You will all be confined to this building in order to-"

"Oi, get it over with will you? This is boring." Saitama rudely interrupted, causing a few heroes to nod their heads.

"I agree with the baldy," Metal Bat chimed in, completely ignoring the look of annoyance on the bald hero's face. "hurry it up. I had to skip my little sister's piano recital for this. If it's a load of crap," the teen's eyes sharpened as he gave off an intense aura, "I'm tearing this whole building down."

"Pfft. As if you can do that with that little stick of yours. Leave that to me." boasted Tatsumaki.

"Oh yea? How about instead I smash your little head in!" taunted the pompadour.

"Please get on with it, or Mr Pompadour here is going to die." Flash Flash calmly stated, as the two started to bicker.

"You siding with the girls, you stupid trap?" bellowed Metal Bat, changing his target.

 ** _"Haigh, our best heroes act like children."_** Sitch furrowed his eyebrows as he announced sternly, "The great seer, Madam Shibawa, is dead." This finally got a reaction out of the heroes, all except Saitama.

"Shibawa? Was she killed?" inquired Zombieman.

"No." answered the bespectacled worker. "While looking into the future for the next six months, she became agitated and had a coughing fit. She popped a cough pill in her mouth, and ended up choking on it."

"Ah, I get it. We have to find a new way to predict disasters now, is that what the meeting is about?" deduced Superalloy Darkshine.

"No." came Sitch's reply. "Madame Shibawa has predicted a handful of disasters in her life," Sitch started to go into monologue mode, and Saitama, not wanting to deal, turned to Genos.

"Psst, Genos. Who's this Shibawa woman? A hero?" Saitama whispered to his disciple.

"No, Sensei. She is a seer, one who can see the future. A supposedly great one at that." replied Genos.

"We were able to get through many crisis without Madame Shibawa's predictions, and yet we provided her a bodyguard and special treatment." Said the worker with the stubble.

"Yea yea, we know this Caveman, get to it already." Tatsumaki complained once more.

"Ahem, what we're trying to say, is that Madame Shibawa gets such treatment, because the predictions she did give were 100% accurate. Therefore, it is necessary for all of you to be here, for this," Sitch placed a piece of paper onto the table. The sheet was scanned and displayed as a hologram for all the heroes to see. "the great seer's last prediction." In high definition, was the simple sentence 'THE EARTH IS IN DANGER', causing quite a few of the S classes to snicker.

"Aw man, that's it? Did you guys really exaggerate again?" Child Emperor groaned as he licked his lollipop.

"Child Emperor, you may be a prodigy, but if you've yet to deduce why we are so worried, then you must truly still be a child." Sitch replied with zero hesitation, causing the hero's face to contort into something between anger and frustration. "Madame Shibawa predicted disasters, monster attacks, things that caused the loss of countless lives when we didn't first believe her. And yet, not once has she ever said anything about the earth being in danger." the man's eyebrows furrowed. "With her dying breath, Madame Shibawa has warned us that something worse than a Dragon level threat is headed our way," Sitch smacked the table once more, "IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS!"

King's 'King Engine' increased in volume, Saitama's eyes widened with excitement, Tatsumaki simply snorted, and Watchdog Man expressed his concern. "But we don't know when in the next six months."

"Yea, hard to plan for something if we don't know when it's coming." Flash continued.

"You are correct." Sitch said, "Even so, I want you all to be ready for a fight in the next six months."

"But" A noticeably enthusiastic Saitama spoke up. "that means it could be tomorrow, even today."

"Eh, that is true, Caped Baldy."

"What did you just call me?" Saitama's enthusiasm instantly turned into anger.

"It is your new hero name. And Genos will be known as Demon Cyborg. I uh, initially wanted to mention this after this meeting-"

"CHANGE IT YOU ASSHOLE!" bellowed the bald, causing all the other heroes, bar Bang, Tatsumaki and Genos, to howl in laughter.

"They can't change shit, egghead. Only the public can make that decision once you get more love." Tatsumaki deadpanned, laughing to herself. _**"Ha! You'll be known as Baldy after all!"**_

Bang hummed in confirmation. Genos stood up, slamming his arms on the table. "Unacceptable. You will be incinerated for mocking Sense-" before the cyborg could blast the association member, the whole building started to shake. "The building is under attack!" shouted Genos.

"But who would be so stupid as to attack the Hero Association headquarters?!" questioned Darkshine, when everything went dark.

"Emergency power activated." The lights came on again, and all the heroes focused, ready to fight.

"What the hell is going on out there?!" Yelled Sitch, Shouta informing him that all communications have been cut off. **_"But that could only mean.."_** Sitch cursed as he brought up the threat assesment system, and his eyes widened in shock as he doubted what was before him.

"What's going on? Caveman! What the fuck is going on?!" Tatsumaki floated over to where Shouta and Sitch were, here eyes landing on the screen.

"D-Destruction levels are at 99.8%!? City A was wiped in an instant!" Sitch exclaimed, clutching his hair in despair. "Who knew her prediction would come so soon!"

"Then how is this building still standing?" questioned Silver Fang.

"We assigned Metal Knight to construct this structure, he has made it far superior to any shelter, hence the lack of windows." answered the bespectacled worker.

"And I thought you were trying for a dramatic effect." quipped Metal Bat.

"Oi, we should go and check it out, see if it really is the prophecy." said Child Emperor.

Atomic Samurai having already stood up, chimed in. "Yea, I need to make sure my disciple is alright out there."

 ** _"Out there... Fubuki!"_** Genos, charged himself up, preparing to launch himself downstairs. "Saitama Sensei! We must make sure Fubuki is al-Sensei?" Genos didn't see Saitama next to him, though some small pieces of black metal dropped from above. He looked up, noticing a man sized hole above where his Sensei sat.

"Oi! What was that about my Imouto you stupid cyborg?!" Tatsumaki raised Genos into the air, when her eyes suddenly widened in fear. _**"Imouto?!"**_

"Tatsumaki-chan, we must hurry. She might require medical attention." Bang raced past the both of them, Tatsumaki snapped out of her trance and followed close behind. Genos unfortunately was slammed right into the wall, his functions temporarily stunned as the ESPer vented her anger, her mind completely focused on one thought: Who dies first if a single hair of her Imouto gets touched.

* * *

Below, Fubuki panted as the monsters closed in on her and the A class Rank 2 hero, Iaian. The man was a blonde and had a suit of armour closely resembling that of a knight. The two had fought valiantly, yet they were no match for the two creatures that stood before them.

"It was an honour to fight alongside you, Blizzard of Hell." Iaian, Atomic Samurai's top disciple was missing his left arm, having had it cleaved by the bigger of the two monsters. This one was a massive shapeshifter that could regenerate and had multiple heads. He had resigned to his fate, and was prepared to sacrifice himself as the honurable swordsman he was.

"Don't say that, the S classes must be on their way, just hold out a little longer!" said the ESPer. She knew damn well how screwed they both were, yet there had to be hope. There had to be.

"Ha! Is this really all this planet has to offer? A pointy stick and a psychic weaker than Geryuganshoop?! Pathetic!" The smaller monster taunted. This one had a large imposing body. It's head and hands were just mouths with extremely sharp teeth. The damn thing looked like a plant, and was acidic to boot, as Fubuki found out. "Kill them Melzargard!"

"With pleasure." The larger of the two's arm shapeshifted into a hammer, ready to squish the two interlopers, when a very loud, very high pitched voice rang out.

"YOU DARE?!" Both the creatures were crushed so hard, all that was left of them were two rectangular blocks. Some weird marble things dropped out, being crushed by the very, _very_ , angry form of Tatsumaki looming over Fubuki and Iaian.

"Onee-chan!" Fubuki couldn't help but break into a smile, of course her sister was here, she felt her pain.

"You. Pathetic. Little. A class." Fubuki's smile faded as the older ESPer turned to face Iaian, a dark and ominous aura came off the Tornado of Terror. "Looks like I know who I'll kill FIRST." The ESPer launched a huge piece of rubble right at Iaian, the A class closing his eyes in fear. When a rush of wind came by the swordsman, and no impact was felt, he opened his eyes in surprise.

"Shishou!" Atomic Samurai, sword in hand, stood before Iaian, having diced the piece of rubble.

"Oi, just because Silver Fang is nice to you, it doesn't mean I will be too." threatened the Samurai, cupping his hands around the hilt of his sword.

"You. Fucking. Dare?" Tatsumaki raised her hands once more to crush the two heroes. Screw a painless death, they didn't deserve it after all, when a comforting hand was placed on her shoulder.

"Tatsumaki-chan, don't fight with the other heroes. We have more pressing matters." Bang calmly stated. The ESPer turned around to see a monster with an oval head, not unlike a certain hero, and a multitude of tentacles making up it's translucent blue body.

"Ah, so you are the one I felt. It will be a pleasure crushing you," The creature started to ominously glow... rainbow. Huh. And uh, it's eyes glowed a blinding gold, along with all the objects it levitated. Seriously, is this guy overcompensating for something? "ALONG WITH THE REST OF THIS PATHETIC PLANET!" bellowed the octopus-like thing.

"Finally. A fucking challenge." Tatsumaki's face turned into something sinister, her own glow darkening in colour.

Fubuki started to tremble as she remembered very clearly the first time this happened. Bang himself had wide eyes full of terror. Heroes on the roof of the headquarters watched in fear as Bang quickly picked up Fubuki in a piggyback, dashing like mad to the association's headquarters, the two swordsman following suit.

"So uh... do you think there's any chance we even have a place left to rebuild when this is over?" questioned Superalloy Darkshine. Whatever the fuck could scare Silver Fang, whatever the fuck could level even his muscles.

"From the little time I've spent with Tatsumaki, I doubt it." deadpanned Genos, who had rebooted and jumped up the hole which, supposedly, was created by his Sensei. The cyborg had analyzed the situation, and felt something in his non-existent stomach. A feeling he hadn't felt since his spar with Saitama.

"Ah crap. Then will this building stand?" worried Darkshine.

"It should. Tatsumaki-sama isn't near enough to destroy it. I hope." choked child emperor. The other heroes had wisely evacuated the location, claiming they had something on.

"Well, I should be going too." Drive Knight walked over to Genos. "Genos-kun, I need to tell you something." The blonde raised an eyebrow curiously as the Rank 9 whispered into his ear, "Metal Knight is your enemy. Do not trust him." warned Drive Knight, as he walked off, catching Bang, Fubuki, Atomic Samurai and Iaian on his way down.

"Bang-san, should we evacuate too?" questioned Genos. Knowing how the old hero and Tatsumaki were related, he figured Bang would make the wisest choice out of them.

"I fear it is for the better if we remain here, Genos-kun, or all of the continent will be leveled if Fubuki-chan isn't here when this is over." Bang placed said ESPer down, who was a little bit dizzy from the speed of the old hero... and her injuries.

"Fubuki! What happened?!" Genos ran to the ESPer's side, his arms transforming in the process, revealing bandaids, an iodine bottle, medical supplies in general.

"Eh? You can do that Genos-kun?" the curious Child Emperor watched in amazement as the blonde patched up Fubuki, who was just silent the whole time, completely unlike her usual fiery self.

"Yes. I figured it would be best, since I've gotten myself acquainted with... less robotic humans, that I am capable of tending to them." answered Genos, noting just how much the ESPer in his arms was trembling. He would have to ask her if she's okay with him doing the boyfriend thing of comforting her in his arms.

Below, the two psychics faced each other.

"Before we begin, let us introduce ourselves. I am Geryuganshoop, the supreme user of telekinesis of the universe, right hand man of the dominator of the universe, Lord Boros!" bellowed the... alien I guess.

"And I am Tatsumaki." The grin on the ESPer's face somehow grew. "And it has been a while," rubble around her started to levitate, "since I've gotten MAD!"

* * *

And so it begins. And finally, over 4k words, though the description of the heroes probably played a huge part. Heheh, sorry about that. Basically stole from the wiki because no way in hell could I come up with all this.

Now then, here's the change I wanted to try. I uh... had to boost Geryuganshoop's power here, otherwise he'd have been flattened in 3 seconds. I mean, we don't really know if he can face Tats, but judging from how he basically didn't affect Saitama at all, I think it's clear he's outclassed. So... sorry. And uh, RIP Mel and Gro.

Thank you all for your patience with those delay chapters. Next up: The fight. Goddamn it I hate action scenes.

* * *

Elfetrange: Uh... ***flips through book of manners*** thanks? How the heck do I respond to this? As to his fight with Boros... nah, can't spoil it.

Ander Arias: Just. I'm serious here, how do I respond to this? Uh, thank you. And yea, he definitely got cockblocked. And uh, yea, genres. I don't really know what would be the two main focuses, so I'm just going to leave it as General and Romance for now. Also, thanks again for pointing out my mistake!

Hektols: Eh, interesting concept, but I feel that would ruin the whole point of the guy's character. I'll have to think.

wildarms13: Nah, not that kinda guy. Sorry!

 ***Redacted*** : Good thing I wrote this over time, eh? Seriously, don't. My eyes are bleeding.

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	16. Chapter 16: The Hero

Debris was sent flying both ways, each and every last piece of it being turned into dust as the ESPers battled. A fight between such equal users was truly a sight to behold, with each trying to overpower the other as they simultaneously defend themselves from the barrage of projectiles. Needless to say, they were both going all out.

"I must admit, Earthling, that this is the longest anyone has survived against me, and yet, it is highly unlikely that you could possibly beat me!" declared Geryuganshoop as he brought another of his tentacles up. "I alone control this power, and with this many limbs, I outwit you, outclass you, outnumber you! And to top it all off, my superior control over gravity provides me an indefinite shield, and the ability to crush your spirit!"

Tatsumaki clicked her tongue in annoyance. Another monologuing monster with far too much pride for their own good. She flung another massive ball of debris at the alien, only to have it shattered once more. _**"Ugh, this is getting ridiculous. There must be some way..."**_

Above, Genos' jaw hung in amazement as he watched the battle rage on. "Such power... it is incredible." Since the fight started, his scanners detected gravity in that area increasing ten fold, and the collateral damage was astonishing. Piles of dust covered massive craters, and around 20 miles of sky was free of clouds.

"That's Tatsumaki-chan for you Genos-kun," Darkshine said, "there is a reason she is called the 'Tordado of Terror' after all. Most just assume it is because she's psychic, but when you see her angry... well, case in point."

Genos glanced at the muscular hero before returning his gaze to the battlefield. "You seem to have seen this before, Darkshine."

The hero simply nodded in response. "I would tell you about it, but I don't want to ruin the moment."

"What moment?"

"The battle of the ESPers... a sight to behold."

As the battle raged on, Tatsumaki couldn't help but notice her body was already starting to complain. The constant barrage was starting to put a strain on her. **_"Tsk, damn my limitations."_**

"GIVE IN, EARTHLING!" Geryuganshoop increased the gravity around the heroine even more, grinning as he did so. "I'M TRYING TO BE MERCIFUL HERE, UNLESS YOU REALLY WANT TO TASTE WHAT BEING IN A BLACKHOLE FEELS LIKE!"

"Pffft, please. Been there, DONE THAT!" Tatsumaki launched herself towards the alien at mach 10, placing a hand on his shiny head. "SURPRISE, OCTOPUS!" A bright light flashed Geryuganshoop, causing him to scream in agony as he flew back.

"Wha-what have you done!" He couldn't move his tentacles, and he could feel his shield breaking down.

"Unfortunately for you, I have a brain," Tatsumaki folded her arms, smirking, "and I figured out that your so called 'indefinite shield' really only covers the parts being attacked. So I just found an opening, and struck. Honestly, you should have went all out when you had the chance, weakling."

"I-Impossible... You couldn't stop the meteor, I overpowered you!"

"Ha. You only outlasted me. If it weren't for the fact I was trying not to destroy everything around me," The victor looked around to prove her point, "that meteor would have been grinded into dust."

The alien was silent, before letting out a chuckle, bursting into a maniacal laugh.

"SO BE IT! YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT LORD BOROS!" As if on cue, Tatsumaki felt a strong burst of energy from inside the ship, and from the smile on Geryuganshoop, he did too.

"Hmph. You wanna bet your life on it?"

"Insolent fool! Why do you think even I dare not go against him?! Lord Boros, he doesn't just conquer planets, he ravages them! He fights all who dares, and when none can stand, he destroys the planet! He is feared throughout the uni-"

"Ugh, your voice is grating my ears. Any last words, asshole?"

The alien burst into a grin.

"I may have lost, but I'll make sure you lose something too!"

Above, the heroes raised an eyebrow, wondering exactly what the alien meant they heard Genos suddenly cry 'Fubuki!', followed by a wail of pain. They turned around to see a large metal pole impaled in the cyborg, the ESPer on the floor next to him. It didn't take a genius to figure out exactly what happened.

"YOU SCUM!" yelled Tatsumaki as she felt her Imouto's pain. She crushed Geryuganshoop's head as he let out one last laugh, causing disgusting fluids to splurt onto her dress. The heroine rushed up, noticing how the spectators were tending to Genos while Bang slowly carried Fubuki off the ground. "Imouto! Please tell me you're alright!" she pleaded. God forbid her Imouto was hurt badly.

"I... Genos, he-"

"She is fine Tatsumaki-chan, just a few scratches. It could've been worse if not for Genos-kun." Bang finished Fubuki's sentence for her, seeing how the younger ESPer was in shock at the moment. Said cyborg stepped away from Child Emperor and Darkshine, stumbling towards the family of three.

"I pushed Fubuki away when I didn't have time to burn the pole, I apolo-apolo- I am sorry." said Genos, electricity sparking out from a hole where the pole was, his voice distorted. He walked over to said ESPer, resuming his duties as the nurs-boyfriend, when Fubuki suddenly hugged him, forcing him to cover the damaged area so as to not electrocute his lady. "Fubuki, get off-"

"Thank you Genos." muttered the ESPer in between sniffles, causing the air around them to drop by quite a few degrees. Bang, CE and DS slowly turned to face Tatsumaki, who's face by now had turned red from anger.

"Dotei-kun, Darkshine-kun, I suggest you both leave." Bang waved off the two heroes, who wasted no time in running off. He walked over to where his Tatsumaki floated, leaning in to whisper to the ESPer. "I'll explain. For now, we'll leave the two to their moment." Miraculously, Tatsumaki complied.

Fubuki stayed in Genos' arms for quite a while, the blonde getting increasingly worried as to how her sister will react to this. Seeing her float off with Bang didn't really comfort him. Still, he tried his best to make his lady comfy, having sat them down and warming himself up to a reasonable temperature, acting as a literal body pillow for the ESPer who had gone silent. A minute of cuddling later, Genos felt Fubuki lifting her head off him. He looked down only to immediately regret his decisions when his mechanical brain detected a mixture of so many things in the ESPer, uncertainty being a big one.

"G-Genos, I'm sorry! I didn't-I didn't mean to be a cre-"

"Please don't say that. I am glad you consider me an adequate 'shoulder to lean on'. It means I am at least doing something right." Genos felt a small smile escape him as he looked into her eyes. _**"Ah, it appears my feelings are escaping containment sooner than I anticipated. I suppose I should have Kuseno remove the programmings."**_

Fubuki just stared at the sight before her. Genos, the hero who was known to never have anything but a scowl on him, just smiled. At her. And holy shit did he look fucking cute.

Feeling a little bit flustered at how she just stared, Genos cleared his throat, even though he really doesn't need to. "Ah, Fubuki, we should go. Your sister might get the wrong idea if we stay here for too long."

On cue, the angry form of Tatsumaki came right at the cyborg, knocking him down.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TREATING MY IMOUTO AS A GODDAMN MISSION FOR YOUR STUPID BALD SENSEI YOU WORTHLESS PILE OF METAL TRASH YOU-"

"Tatsuamki-chan, stop!" Bang came running, pulling her away in time as Genos slowly sat up, having received even more damages. He was helped up by both Fubuki who was confused as to her sister's words.

"Genos? What is Onee-chan talking about?"

"HE'S ONLY DOING THIS BECAUSE THE FUCKING CUE BALL TOLD HIM TO!"

Genos hung his head low as Fubuki tugged at his arm, asking if this was true. She began to realise that it was quite convenient that he wanted to date her the instant they met, and all those weird signals the disciple and his Sensie shared... it was all planned.

"Genos? Was all of it just... did you really?"

"I... I'm beginning to think it wasn't." Genos kept his head low, unable to face his lady. _**"So much for the development. I get to keep the programming after all."**_

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!" Tatsumaki's eyes widened as she came to a completely erroneous conclusion. "YOU SICK PERVERT!" She flung Genos about 5 meters when Bang caught him.

"Tatsumaki-chan, please calm down. By now, Fubuki was back on the ground, completely... no, not broken. More like in utter disbelief, Genos looked ready to be recycled and Tatsumaki was... being Tat-tsunmaki. Bang sighed, shaking his head. "Tatsumaki-chan, Fubuki-chan, come here."

The two ESPers floated over, the older pouting as she carried the younger towards their Ojii-san. Here we go with the grandpa thing.

"Alright, let's clear things up first. Genos-kun, do you really not have any feelings towards Fubuki, and are only doing this because Saitama-kun told you?" Bang kept his usual calm demeanour, even though inside he was begging for something to have changed.

"I... am unsure." All raised an eyebrow in response to the cyborg, who only sighed as he tried to summarize his point. Yea, 20 words ain't gonna do it. "I contained my feelings when I became a cyborg, thinking they were of no use. They seem to be returning, though I have yet to... affirm my analysis."

Bang inwardly grinned. There was a chance after all.

"I sincerely apologise Miss Blizzard," Genos went back to formalities. He felt he didn't deserve to call her by name. "that I at first treated you as nothing but a task. I understand if you'd prefer to no longer be acquainted with me." Genos seemed to stop breathing as he awaited her reply.

The ESPer was silent, causing Tatsumaki to sneer. "I think you know the answer, you-"

"No." All eyes turned to face Fubuki, who very obviously was trying to hold back tears. "I... confess I myself was... using you. I wanted to use our relationship to make the Blizzard Bunch more... more powerful." The ESPer failed as they began to flow. "I'm s-s-sorry Genos. I-"

"Oh please. You heard him Imouto, he wanted to use you first, why are you apologising? Where is that fucking baldy anyway? I have a score to settle."

Before any of this could continue, a sudden explosion occured above the ship, causing it to tilt at a very obvious angle. Somehow, by God's hands I guess, the surface of the ship now faced our heroes directly, and boy was the association building a fantastic vantage point for the slaughter.

* * *

Some time prior

"So... aliens huh?"

Saitama stared at the giant ship before glancing back down to the ruins of A City.

"Haigh, Why do I always have to be late." Saitama jumped towards the ship to make an entrance -literally-, causing some kind of giant bullet to fly his way. He turned to the side, using the bullet to propel himself forward even more. "Ah so that's what blew this city to bits." Saitama pulled back his fist, grinning. "Let me return the favour."

The bald hero found himself inside the ship, a literal maze of winding corridors and different paths.

"Oh cool. I guess the boss is the reward or something." The hero bent his ankle to sprint off when he noticed a giant door behind him. "Eh? Did I accidentally cheat my way here? Oh well." With that, Saitama punched the door, a cloud of smoke giving him a grand, if accidental, entrance.

As the cloud cleared, Saitama saw a one eyed guy with pink hair that reminded him of Go...something. Some manga he read.

"You the one in charge?"

"Wonderful." said the alien, confusing the bald hero. "Before we fight, let us exchange names."

A moment of silence as the two waited for the other to start first. Okay, apparently aliens have manners.

"I lead the Dark Matter Pirates as the dominator of the universe, Boros." Somehow he managed to keep it to less than 20 words.

"I'm a hero for fu-eh, a professional hero. Name's Saitama."

"Saitama." grinned the alien, excitement in his eye.

"Look, I don't know what the domino of the universe wants with earth, but you trashed City A, I can't look past that."

"What I want with earth?" The alien chuckled. "It's because of a prophecy."

"A prophecy? You mean-"

"I traveled the universe, taking whatever foe dared to face me. However, none of them could face my power and soon, I found myself tormented by absolute boredom." The alien began to monologue as he walked down the stairs of his throne. So much for 20 words. "Then one day, a seer told me that I would find someone who could match my power, who could bring excitement to my life. That was twenty years ago. The distance I traveled, I wasn't sure it was worth it and neither was my crew but now," Boros stood before Saitama, his eye wide like his grinch grin. "I am certain. Come Saitama, stimulate my existence."

Annoyed, Saitama threw a punch that launched Boros into a pillar that surprisingly didn't collapse. "Are you stupid? You can't just go and attack a planet because you're bored. Even telemarketers wouldn't do that." The smoke cleared, showing Boros with a hole in his chest as his motionless body was sprawled on the pillar. _**"Oops, too much force. Man, so much for a final bo-"**_

The alien's body suddenly creaked forward, and his armour shattered revealing a blue body with some kind of red orb in the center. "The armour used to control my immeasurable power has been broken..."

Saitama's face was expressionless as he deadpanned a single word. "Okay."

Boros's body started to bulge and turn a darker shade of blue, suddenly erupting into a fantastic lightshow while Saitama stared unfazed. "LET'S BEGIN!"

The alien dashed towards Saitama at amazing speeds, throwing multiple punches which Saitama simply blocked with his wrist. The hero decided to let one of the punches connect, sending him flying backwards. He somehow managed to stay on his feet as he ran backwards. More punches were thrown and were subsequently blocked as the two 'flew' around the ship. The hero raised his fist as the two of them collided again, taking off the alien's right arm as they landed.

"So, you're strong enough to keep up with my full power."

"Yeah." Saitama raised his fist, though it was with a lot less enthusiasm than he wanted. "You're strong too."

As Boros cracked a smile even bigger than his first, he threw punches quick enough that Saitama had to actually try to block them, though the alien managed to land an attack anyway, once again sending the hero flying. As the two dashed around the ship, colliding with enough force to create shockwaves, Saitama didn't hit back, even when he was sent crashing through multiple layers of the ship's walls, eventually reaching the surface.

"Nice moves," said Boros as he and Saitama landed opposite each other, the alien glowing with energy. "of the countless I have faced, only you have survived this long!" A column of energy burst into the sky as the eye in the center of Boros' chest glowed. "Now, to release the destructive energy within me!" A beam was blasted from the eye as the alien bragged on. "Any normal creature hit by it would find even their bones vaporized!"

The resulting explosion caused a huge cloud of flame to burst above the ship, though Saitama stood in it completely unfazed, specks of ash being the only evidence he ever fought.

"Behind you!" announced Boros as he punched the bald hero with enough strength to extinguish the flames. And yet, Saitama wasn't moved even an inch despite having been sent flying by the alien's weaker punches.

Boros decided to monologue, something about having adapted to his world, regeneration... something something stamina, annoying Saitama who decided to cut in. "Shut up."

Surprisingly, this worked, causing the alien to stare in utter shock, though it was probably due to being surprised this foe has yet to run out of energy. "Blah, blah, blah. Are you done?... With this fight?"

The alien went into another pose as he glowed a bright pink. "NOT YET!" He bellowed as his hair grew longer, his entire body turning pink. "METEORIC BUUUURST!"

Boros flew forward, punching Saitama so hard he created a shockwave that devastated half the ship. He continued to brag as he continued attacking, sending Saitama flying in all directions. Eventually, he kneed the hero so hard, it sent him flying up, and up, and up... crashing into the moon.

The bald hero sat up, admiring his view before suddenly pinching his nose. ** _"Ah crap, can't breathe."_** He took another look at the beauty that was earth as he stood himself up, picking up a chunk of the moon rock. He toyed with the thing before nodding his head. **_"Yea, that should work."_** He tossed the pebble away as he launched himself right at beautiful blue planet, deepening the crater beneath him.

Below, Boros was catching his breath as he went on and on to himself about his form costing him a few years or something, when a powerful force landed near him, causing his ship to tilt sideways. The alien stared in shock as the dusty form of Saitama climbed out of the hole he made.

"Oh, I made it!"

The alien stared for a few more seconds before furrowing his eyebrows, letting out a determined battle cry as he charged to hit Saitama with all he had.

 ** _"Ah, he's starting to have fun."_** thought the bald hero as he struck Boros so hard, it ripped out a gloopy mouth on the alien's face as he flew back.

"That's the way, Saitama." approved Boros. "You are indeed worth defeati-"

"Consecutive normal punches." Saitama suddenly appeared in front of the alien, punching with such speed that even to the trained eye, it would look like his limb multiplied in number. The hero had literally punched the alien to nothing but an eye and a fountain of blood, yet he somehow managed to piece himself back together.

"I WILL DEFEAT YOU!" exclaimed the alien as all around him, the air ignited from the energy he gave off. "I WILL RELEASE ALL THE ENERGY I HAVE, BLASTING YOU AND THIS PLANET TO HELL!"

 _ **"Ah, can't have that now, can I?"**_

"COLLAPSING STAR, ROARING CANON!"

The beam of energy burned a magnificent blue and yellow as it came down on Saitama, who put on as serious a face as he could muster.

"In that case, I'll use my final move too." said the hero as he pulled his fist back. "Serious Series: Serious Punch." His fist collided with the beam, splitting it into two beams that arched that clouds above for miles.

That was it. It was over. All that was left of Boros was the blackened, diminished top half of the now eyeless alien.

"Did I... Lose?" Boros muttered weakly.

"You're still conscious? You really are strong."

"The prophecy was true... The battle was... hard fought."

"Yea. It sure was..." Silence came over the battlefield as the air rushed past what was left of Saitama's tattered cape.

"...You lie."

Saitama inwardly sighed as he clenched his fist. **_"Damn, I failed."_**

"You still had strength to spare. That wasn't a battle, that was a massacre." The alien chuckled in content, surprising Saitama a little. "Still... that was the most fun I've ever had. Thank you..."

The hero walked away as the ship started to rumble, collapsing in on itself.

"Saitama..." The alien, released his last breath.

* * *

The heroes watched as the beam of energy came at the bald hero.

 _ **"No..."**_ wept Fubuki. Thoughts of her life, the things she had yet to do came rushing towards her, causing her to shut her eyes in tears as she awaited the bittersweet release of death.

 _ **"Haigh, I was getting old anyways."**_ thought Bang. His life had been an eventful one. Too bad he won't get to see his granddaughters truly happy one last time.

 _ **"Sensei..."**_ begged Genos. He had seen Saitama's unbelievable strength countless times, but can even he stop such power? pain shot through where his heart would have been. He didn't even get to avenge his village...

 _ **"Well. Fuck."**_ Tatsumaki stared wide eyed at the beam. This was something not even she could handle. So goddamn weak. And so, so sorry for those she had failed.

Well, until they saw Saitama split the heavens with his punch. Now their jaws hung as they watched the two combatants say something to each other. It was then that the ship began to crash, causing the four of them to rush towards it, the Tornado of Terror in the lead.

Saitama punched his way out of the ship with a small smile on his face. _**"Man, 20 years ago I was just some kid. Still, I'm glad I did whoever it was' job. That Boros guy deserved a climatic ending."**_ Saitama sighed, muttering to himself. "One I won't get myself."

"BALDY!"

A very pissed off voice caused Saitama to turn as he felt small hands pound him on his chest.

"WHAT THE HELL YOU FUCKING BALDY! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THAT WAS! I COULD'VE DIED! THE WHOLE GODDAMN PLANET COULD'VE HAVE DIED! YOU COULD'VE DIED! STUPID FUCKING AVOCADO!"

"T-Tats? Wha-"

"DON'T YOU TATS ME!"

"Saitama!"

"Saitama-kun!"

"Sensei!"

Three more voices caused Saitama to look up. Fubuki, Bang and Genos came running towards him and the petite ESPer, though Fubuki was being supported by the males on either of her sides. Quite a comical situation really.

"Oh, hey guys! I'm starving, you wanna go get udo-?"

"THAT WAS AMAZING SAITAMA!"

"Great show, Saitama-kun!"

"SENSEI! I WON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU WERE PLACED ON TOP OF S CLASS AFTER THAT SHOW OF POWER!"

A vein popped on Saitama's head as the loud, and honestly, unpleasant praises hit his ear. "GUYS!" exclaimed the hero, shutting up the three of them. "Hey, I appreciate the thanks and all, but please for the love of god, not in my face! Now, can we go get some udon or what? That fight made me hungry."

The heroes stared at the bald hero in amazement before nodding like mad.

"My place, my treat!"

"How about some lobsters instead, Saitama-kun?"

"SENSEI! AS YOUR GRATEFUL DISCIPLE, ALLOW ME TO PAY FOR ALL YOUR MEALS FROM NOW ON, NO MATTER WHERE YOU WISH TO DINE!"

All were interrupted by the bellowing voice of Tatsumaki.

"HOW DARE YOU ALL INTERRUPT ME! I AM TRYING TO TEACH THE GODDAMNED EGG A LESSON! MOVE ASIDE!"

"You should leave that to me, Tornado." A very smug voice came from above the heroes as they turned to see some random guy with blue hair and a really glamarous outfit stare at them with... disgust in his eyes? The guy jumped down, causing all but Saitama to scowl.

"Amai Mask. If you have a brain in there, you will leave, THIS INSTANT!"

"Oh please. I have a job to do and I will do it, unlike you fools." The guy walked up to Saitama who was more confused than anything.

"You worthless rookie. If you think I will allow you to stay a S class after you failed to defend the city, you got another thing coming." Amai pointed a finger accusingly at the bald hero, who just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Eh, if you ask me, I did an okay job. I mean, they could have wrecked more cities."

"Sensei is right. Without him, the entire planet would have been destroyed." Genos stood up for his Sensei. _**"A class Rank 1, Handsomely Masked Sweet Mask. I will not allow you to hurt Sensei's reputation like those weaklings did."**_

"Hmph. I would watch your word 'Demon' cyborg, or you might find yourself in a scrapyard."

Genos flared up, his hands igniting when Saitama raised an arm to block him.

"Hey, not cool man. You got a problem, deal with me."

"Oh, I have a problem alright." Amai Mask launched an attack at Saitama, who countered it with a punch, knocking the hero unconscious.

"Aw man, that was just pathetic!" deadpanned Saitama. "And I was all hyped too."

Bang chuckled, Fubuki had to stifle a giggle, Genos stared in awe and Tatsumaki did them all a favour and flung the A class cunt out of the way.

"He'll heal himself. Now then, you and I have a score to settle you fucking baldy."

"Huh? What did I do?"

"I know all about your stupid fucking plan with your horny teen disciple and my Imouto. I won't let you get away with trying to-"

"Whoa wait, who the hell told you that?"

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME EGGHEAD!"

The two started to bicker as the others watched on, all three letting out a sigh. Bang walked forward to break up the fight.

"Enough. You're both heroes of the association. There is no need to fight each other. Now come, I'm quite hungry myself and I am certain any misunderstandings can be resolved over a meal."

And with that, the four walked off, none of them capable of pulling themselves up to argue with the grandpa.

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"Alert! A dragon level threat is heading towards City Y! All civilians, please evacuate!"

A giant pig like creature with a pitchfork snorted, tearing apart buildings with the air itself.

"You humans waste your existence in gluttony, littering the earth with worthless objects. I, Pluton, king of the underworld will punish you all for your si-" A blast of flame raced past the giant pig, causing it to look down in surprise. "And who do we have here?"

A blonde with mechanical arms was revealed under the flames, clutching on to a small boy he had saved from being crushed. "I am the disciple of a great man who is a hero for fun."

"A great man?" questioned the pig when something appeared in the corner of his eye. In seconds, he was blown into into a shower of blood and guts as the cyborg and boy below watched in amazement.

"And profit." finished Genos as he looked down at the boy, who may have just found his new favourite hero, who was currently staring at his own fist.

"No, I'm back to one punch..." he dramatically collapsed on all fours. "GOD DAMN IT!"

"Sensei!" shouted Genos as he covered the little boy's ears. "Pure ones are around!"

"Oh, sorry. I forgot."

"Sensei, we should hurry. Tatsumaki will be mad if we're late to the fight."

"But... free bacon!"

"I will buy you as much as you want Sensei, but we do not have the means to deal with an angry Tatsumaki."

"Ugh, fine. Why did she even ask to fight me anyway?"

Genos grinned as he handed the boy to the recently arriving authorities. "Because you are the strongest hero, Saitama Sensei."

* * *

Welp. I'm done.

First off all, I apologise for the long wait. Blah blah, lame excuse, etc. From now on, expect updates to come slower because damn the national exams. And uh, the rest of the A/N and review reply is going to be half assed because 1: I'm tired af 2: I have to sleep in like, 10 minutes so I gotta rush

Initially, I wanted to make this chapter even longer, and I intended to come up with a far more interesting battle between the very OOC Tatsumaki, sorry, and the poor poor Geryuganshoop, but I got sick and tired of my repetitive writing, so I just cut it short. Hopefully, I did the fight between Boros and Saitama justice. Also, a change in the end that I probably will regret if this somehow reaches the far end of the fandomverse where the.. BorosXSaitama fans exist... And uh, see you next time I guess.

* * *

Ander Arias: Yea, had that chapter half done. Also, I agree, I went overboard with Tatsumaki. I ugh... guess I can't roll back time to fix that, so here we are.

Hektols: *Shrug*. Maybe in this shitty fanfic.

Alpharex saiyan:... ok.

Scaerletrailgun: Soon.

Guest: Eh, those two weaklings couldn't smash a rock if they tried. But uh, I'll get around to fixing it eventually... give or take 1-2 years.

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	17. Chapter 17: A Relationship?

_After the battle_

Everyone was relatively silent as they ate. I say relatively because Saitama was slurping his noodles quite loudly, eliciting the spiteful glare of other diners who looked away once Genos caught on to them. Eventually, Bang got sick of the awkwardness and spoke up.

"So, Genos-kun, Fubuki-chan, do you two plan on continuing your relationship?"

Everyone but Saitama froze at the question for their own reasons. It took a second before the blonde responded.

"It... it depends on if Fubu-Miss Blizzard would like to continue. And if Tatsumaki would allow it."

Tatsumaki snickered. "If you promise not to drag my Imouto down like that group of hers did, I'll allow it. But hurt even just her emotions," she glowed menacingly, "and I'll hurt you until you can no longer **beg**." threatened the ESPer. She thought about it and figured Genos might actually be a good influence on her Imouto. Who knows, he may finally be the push she needs to get stronger.

Genos simply nodded with a curt "Understood." as he looked towards the younger of the two sisters. "Miss Blizzard?"

"Just... Just Fubuki is fine Genos."

The cyborg nodded, turning back to his food. "Of course."

A moment of awkward silence before it was interrupted by the loud clonking of a ceramic cup on the wooden table.

"More tea please." said Saitama as he coughed a little. _**"Ugh, awkward moment over."**_

"Why did you finish your tea so quickly? It is meant to be enjoyed slowly." said Bang as he raised his cup, showing the bald hero some proper tea etiquette.

"Uh, I like it is all." said the hero, his blank facade hiding his nervousness.

Tatsumaki groaned. "I knew it was a bad idea eating here. We should have gone to Bang's place. Even Fubuki's place with all the weaklings. Anywhere where we won't be embarrassed by you."

"Now now Tatsumaki-chan, Saitama-kun did just save the world. This is one of the greatest restaurants you could ever go to, I think he deserves it, as do you three." Said Bang as he threw a glance to the heroes. "Say, how about a toast?"

Saitama picked up his now refilled cup. "Yea, a toast! To... uh..."

"To a great future, Saitama Sensei." said Genos, raising his own cup, the others joining in.

As the heroes prepared to head their own ways, Tatsumaki pulled back Saitama by his cape. "The canyon you fought the cyborg at, tomorrow noon. We're going to 'talk', you and I."

Saitama gulped as he remembered the whole deal with him setting Genos and the ESPer's sister up. "Y-yeah, sure. A talk." He gave a small laugh as Tatsumaki flew off.

"What was that about Sensei?"

"It's uh-It's nothing. Tats just wants to uh... talk. With me. Tomorrow. At the canyon. Where we... fought."

"I see. Did she say what time, Sensei?" asked Genos as he remembered how bad Saitama's memory can be when it comes to these kind of things.

* * *

 _Present_

"Of course he's late."

Tatsumaki flung another pebble across the canyon, sighing.

"How much longer is baldy going to make me wait..."

As in on cue, a yellow dot appeared over the edge along with a black dot. Genos did a superhero landing while Saitama had to try and balance himself again, quite comically."

"Sensei, you need to improve your landing." commented Genos.

"Yea yea, let's just hurry before Tats-"

"You're late you cue ball."

"Oh! Hey uh, look, sorry we're late Tats, there was this monster and I-"

"No excuses asshole. Why did you bring the cyborg along?"

"I insisted I come with Sensei in case there was a task I can assist him with." replied Genos.

The ESPer sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Okay, whatever. Go far away unless you want to be collateral damage."

Genos nodded as he rocketed himself to one side of the canyon.

Saitama scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as he felt his nerves tingle. "So uh, what do you wanna start with?"

Tatsumaki folded her arms. "First off, you're going to let me thrash you around. Then, and only then will I allow you to explain your motives as to my Imouto and your robot maid."

Saitama opened his mouth to argue but was stopped by the annoyed ESPer.

"I don't care what you have to say because I know for certain you can take me at my lowest power. I just want to vent some anger, understood, egghead?"

Saitama raised a finger, but stopped, nodding his head.

"Good, let's begin."

And so, for about 10 minutes, Genos had the displeasure of standing at one side and watching as Tatsumaki sent barrages at his Sensei, flung the hero around, albeit using the ground around him since for some reason he himself can't be lifted. All while dirt was stuck in Saitama's 'special pants place' because the brat wouldn't let him shake it out seeing how it kinda annoyed him. Once the ESPer seemed satisfied, Genos walked over to where the two stood.

"Okay, now expl-"

"One sec, gotta shake the dirt out."

Tatsumaki sighed as Saitama proceeded to, in a very nonchalant fashion, clear his belt of dirt.

"You done yet?"

"In a bit." A few more pats later, "Okay, I'm done."

"Good. Now explain to me why you decided to play Wingman and got your stinking roomba-"

"Sensei," Genos interrupted as he came to Saitama's side, "I know your distaste towards long explanations. Would you rather if I explained?" the blonde leaned in, whispering, "Also, your candidness may end up getting us into trouble."

Saitama waved him off. "It's fine, I got this."

Tatsumaki's eye was twitching slightly at having just been rudely interrupted but she tried to keep her cool as the baldy went on about how he felt Fubuki had confidence issues or something, and figured Genos would be a great help.

"Besides, Genos can talk a lot. And I'm sure Fubuki wouldn't mind some pep talk now and then, right Genos?" the cyborg nodded his head in response.

"Oh please, I give that to her enough." said Tatsumaki.

 ** _"Yea well, from what Bang told me it's more like you're trying to control her."_** Saitama had to try very hard not to say that out loud, and keep the concern off his poker face. "Yea but... love. You know?"

Tatsumaki sighed. "You're lucky I'm smart so I can understand you. And you," she glared at Genos, "you're so damn lucky Bang somehow convinced me you MIGHT be a good influence on Fubuki. But, what I said yesterday, I meant it. Understood?"

Genos nodded. "I promise, I will not lay my hands on her for anything more than just a friendly gesture. I will only do so if she wishes to."

Both Saitama and Tatsumaki deadpanned.

"Dude, you don't talk about those things."  
"Do you not have a filter installed, cyborg?"

Genos cocked his head in amusement. "Are you two appalled by sex?"

"It's called decency in the presence of a woman, you idiot!" grunted Tatsumaki.

"Yea man. Try not to talk like that around women, especially Fubuki. Unless you really wanna impress her with your knowledge of... you know." warned Saitama. He had just enough experience in his teenage years to know that was a bad thing.

Genos nodded, pulling out his notebook to jot down his Sensei's godly advice, half heartedly noting that Tatsumaki has similar views.

"Anyway, now that we got that out of the way," Tatsumaki pulled out her phone, "the association wanted me to personally notify you that all who were involved in stopping the alien invasion are invited to Murata Hot Springs."

Saitama's face was full of excitement. "You mean the world famous outdoor hot spring?!"

"Something like that. Unfortunately, your maid is invited too. Even though he did fuck all."

"SWEET!" resounded Saitama, "When is it?!"

"Later today." Tatsumaki smirked as she watched Saitama's face turn to one of dread.

"But... today is..."

 ** _"Ah, Sensei is worried about today's sale."_** thought Genos.

"Uh, Tats? You got power over them right? Can you, like, get them to change this to tomorrow? There's this 55% off sale today and I-"

The ESPer pulled out two cards, one was gold and black and the other was a mix of red, white and the most dominant colour, yellow. "I figured as much, which is why the damn caveman insisted I hand these to you."

The caped baldy was unable to speak, his jaw hung in shock as he looked at the cards in her hand.

"S-S-Sixty five percent off everything?..." Tatsumaki was suddenly pulled into the baldy's tight embrace. "THANKS TATS! YOU'RE THE BEST!"

"C-can't... breathe..." Saitama opened his eyes in realisation, letting the ESPer go as she took a deep breath. "You... fucking... Baldy..."

Saitama smiled awkwardly. "Eh heh, uh, sorry Tats. I uh... yea, sorry." muttered Saitama as rubbed his neck, praying she didn't take the card back.

"Haigh, be glad I'm looking forward to the trip. I'll pretend that never happened." The ESPer flew off, leaving Saitama behind as he kissed his card. completely forgetting Genos was standing at the side, having watched everything, his stoic face hiding a very much amused self.

Saitama suddenly stopped jumping for joy, having realised his mistake. He made a sharp turn to his disciple. "Yo Genos let's go get ready for the trip k?" gabbled the hero, causing the blonde to inwardly laugh.

"Yes Sensei!"

* * *

It didn't take too long for the heroes to race back home, grab some essentials and leave for the springs. When they arrived, they found out they were absurdly early, the only other heroes being Bang and Fubuki.

"Ah, Saitama-kun, Genos-kun, so glad you two could make it." greeted the old hero while Fubuki just waved at them with a small smile.

"Hey old ma-Bang, Fubuki. Why are you two here so early?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing Saitama-kun. We were just here to get a few things settled."

"I uh... we were kinda... too excited."

Bang chuckled. "I see. Anyway, it provides us with a good opportunity to continue where we left of, don't you think?"

The bald blinked, letting out a small 'oh'. "You sure? Because Tats might be here any minute now and I don't wanna ruin the mood. I mean, this is basically a vacation so-"

"Ah, that is alright Saitama-kun. Tatsumaki-chan won't be here for another hour, and I don't mind getting this over with. Do you Fubuki-chan? Genos-kun?" Bang glanced at the two, both shook their heads in response. Bang nodded as he turned back to face Saitama. "This is still your decision in the end, but as you can see, the three of us don't mind."

Saitama sighed, knowing there was no way he'll get out of this without looking like an ass. They were about to head in when Fubuki stopped Genos.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that uh... I guess I'm kinda free after this whole thing. You... wanna go somewhere?"

Genos's facade broke as he smiled just a tiny one. "It would be an honour."

And so, the the four of them were brought to a sound proof room, as per Bang's request.

"Oh, and please inform me when Tatsumaki-chan arrives." said Bang to the staff member. The door was closed and the four sat down. "So, where were we?"

"He was yelling at Genos after agreeing to giving the whole relationship idea a go." answered Fubuki.

"Ah, right. So, how do you plan to court her Saitama-kun?" asked Bang.

"Uh... I actually have no idea." Every other hero raised an eyebrow at the bald's response. "I mean, the only relationship I had was a while ago. And back than it was mostly her who did everything right."

Genos perked up upon hearing this. "Sensei, allow me as your humble disciple to assist you by researching on the proper ways to-"

"Genos," interrupted Saitama, "I get it dude, but the web isn't always right. And I sure as hell want to be right, so I think it's better I ask the two people closest to Tats. You know, the ones sitting right there?"

Genos hung his head low in shame. "I... yes Sensei. I apologise." muttered the cyborg as he pulled out his notebook to jot down more words of wisdom.

Fubuki chuckled to herself. **_"Aww, he's so adorable."_** thought the ESPer, **_" 'Demon Cyborg'...pfft. Yea right."_**

"So uh... what should I do?" inquired Saitama.

Bang and Fubuki looked at each other, grinning.

"We've made a plan, Saitama-kun." chuckled Bang, his cheekiness borderlining on creepiness.

"So, later, we're going to bet my Onee-chan that she can't out drink us. Because of how prideful she is, she'll accept it despite knowing how little she can take." Continued Fubuki.

"So, once Tatsumaki-chan is less hard headed from the liquor, you get your chance to be the dashing hero. You'll ask her what's wrong, and she should eventually-"

"Hell. No." interjected Saitama, causing the two to reel back a bit. "I might as well have taken advantage of her right there and then. Honestly, I thought you would have a better idea. I think I'll go with Genos' suggestion."

"You don't understand," said the ESPer, "my sister is not the type to open up to anyone! There is no other way a relationship is possible, not-"

"Then I won't enter a relationship with her! Better yet, I'll be a friend to her, and help her find the right man, anything but this!" Saitama was about to continue when he shook his head, sighing. "Besides, I only agreed because you supposedly have a way of making my emotions less numb. If not, there is literally no point to this talk." He laid himself back a bit, calming down.

Fubuki pouted as she crossed her arms, looking away with a mix of emotions in her eyes while Bang only sighed.

"You're right. We'll deal with your repressed emotions first before getting to Tatsumaki-chan." The old man looked towards Genos, nodding.

The cyborg flipped to a previous page of his notebook. "Sensei, there are numerous ways to deal with numb emotions. According to my research, the best way is to 'hang out' with those who care about you most so that you may feel loved, and thus, love back."

Saitama scratched his temple in confusion. "Okay? Eh... so you mean like my family or something?"

Genos nodded. "Or any good friends... or your disciple?" he said the last one with less confidence as he wondered if Saitama considered him anything more than a disturbance.

"Oh. Yea, sure I gue-did you just refer to yourself in third person?" Saitama quickly shook his head, not wanting to waste time. "Okay, whatever. I'll do that I guess. Anything else?"

Unfortunately for them, fate itself seems to hate them, for a knocking came from the door. Bang sighed as he walked up to it, opening up to reveal the staff member from earlier.

"My apologies for interrupting, Bang-sama, but Tatsumaki-sama is here." Bang simply thanked her, waving her off as he turned to face the others.

"I really hate bad timing."

* * *

EDIT: Fixed small mistakes

Okay, this was a really short update for the long wait. So sorry. I initially wanted to write something longer but unfortunately, I'll have to split this into parts, for my sanity's sake.

Sad to say, I've yet to improve as much as I would like, and I might be slipping back into old habits because I'm being forced to write the same boring way due to school. Please tell me if this reads too much like a school composition so that I may correct it.

Anyway, I should finish this up. I gotta research how not to fuck up romance because I am one of those that hate cliches...

* * *

Lightningblade49: They fled because no one wants to deal with angry Tornado. They've dealt with it once and that one time was enough to teach them a lesson. *Cough* Kamikaze, *cough* and yea good ridance Amai

Hektols: A real relationship? Oh boy time for this teen with 0 experience to get researching... damn it. As for Amai... I've yet to figure this out.

Boggie445: Wot, you mean in terms of storyline? I'm planning to go as far as the webcomic, along with some extra chapters that aren't related to the canonverse.

Ander Arias: Grandpa Bang decided to go ahead and tell her because there was no other way he could explain why Fubuki would just straight up hug Genos. Somehow he managed to convince her this might be a good thing? Well, technically not all heroes, just the ones that matter. And unfortunately, I didn't capitalise on that duel. Seriously, what is with me and cutting fights short jfc.

Scarletrailgun: Oh. OH. I actually read that! Damn it I completely forgot to add that here. Thanks! And uh... okay, Saitama vs Tatsumaki for realsies will have to come way later or something, idc. I honestly don't know how the... okay, spoilers.

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

Threat level: Tornado: Wattpad

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	18. Chapter 18: 'A Relationship', Part 2

Bang, Fubuki, Genos and Saitama walked to the front desk where Tatsumaki stood, her arms crossed.

"Onee-chan? Didn't you say you had something to do? And what got on your nerves?" asked Fubuki.

Tatsumaki sighed. "Let's just say I should have learnt my lesson about trusting threat level assessments from anyone but caveman." she levitated a luggage that was behind her. "Anyway, let's not talk about that. Today, I just want to enjoy myself." The others nodded in agreement.

Someone else came walking in through the entrance. All turned to face Metal Bat, along with... a young female whose eyes, among other things, look far too much like Metal bat to be a coincedence. Said female was sitting on Metal Bat's shoulders.

"Eh? Looks like we weren't first." said Metal Bat.

"I told you to run faster didn't I?" yelled Zenko, bopping the S class, who let out a seemingly genuine 'oomph'.

"Hey Miss Tornado, Miss blizzard, Mr Silver Fang and..." Zenko's eyes widened when she caught sight of the walking egg.

Zenko let out a squeal, causing everyone, even Genos with his artificial hearing, to cringe. Well, of course Caped Baldy was unaffected but that's besides the point. "YOUR HEAD IS SO SHINY! CAN I TOUCH IT?! PRETTY PLEASE CAN I TOUCH IT?!"

"Eh?" Saitama couldn't decide if that was a compliment or not since it came from someone who could be no more than 8. He decided why not. "Uh, sure, go ahead."

In an amazing show of speed, Zenko leapt from her brother's shoulders right onto Saitama's. She very enthusiastically, though it could be argued it was more creepily, rubbed at the bald's chromedome, staring at her own reflection.

"It's shinier than my piano! I knew you didn't polish it enough nii-san!"

Metal Bat raised his hands in the air. "Hey, it ain't my fault that guy polishes his head." Okay, that had no chance to be a compliment in Saitama's books.

"SO I'M BALD! WHAT'S IT TO YOU HUH?!" screamed Saitama, causing the girl on his shoulders to giggle.

"Ignore my nii-san, he's stupid!" she quipped.

"Eh?! Don't take sides with him Zenko! He's the fraud that got above me in rank." sneered Metal Bat, which was a horrible choice on his part, because both Genos and Tatsumaki appeared right in his face.

"You have no right to insult Saitama Sensei when he deserves to be above even Rank 1."  
"Know your place you stinking delinquent!"

Metal Bat was silent for a new record of one second due to shock. Shock about why two heroes ranked above Caped Baldy, one being Tornado of Terror for god's sake, gave this much of a damn. He snapped out of it, walking over to get his Imouto. "Alright, stop bothering Caped Baldy. We gotta get a better room while we still can."

"You should've ran faster!." replied Zenko. The two headed to the receptionist while the others watched.

"Who's that?" whispered Saitama to no one in particular, "Don't remember seeing her at the meeting."

"That's because she wasn't." replied Tatsumaki, earning herself a raised brow from the bald.

"That's Metal Bat's Imouto, Zenko. She's basically the only thing in the world Metal Bat doesn't hate." chimed in Fubuki.

"Oh. He doesn't like leaving her alone I take it?"

"Indeed he doesn't, which is why I requested the association let him bring her along." replied Bang. "Besides, I heard she has a piano competition in two days, so I figured why not let her relax. If nothing else, this should make Baddo-kun less angsty so he won't anger anyone and ruin the day."

While Metal Bat was doing all the administrative stuff, Zenko ran over to Bang and held out her hand. "Thanks for this trip Mr Silver Fang!"

Bang chuckled and shook it. "No problem. Just try to keep Baddo-kun in line, eh?"

"I will!" Zenko smiled, and everyone was certain the room somehow got a lot brighter.

"Zenko, I got a room. Let's go put our stuff down." Metal Bat came over to get his Imouto, who jumped on his shoulders. He walked off carrying two luggages, one was red and the other was pink, the pink one significantly bigger.

"I still don't understand how someone so nice is related to that delinquent." said Tatsumaki once the two were out of hearing range. "Still, at least he did something right."

* * *

 _Around 43 minutes later_

The other heroes had arrived, and they were all soaking in the outdoor springs. Obviously, the male and female springs were seperated, but unfortunately for Tatsumaki, it wasn't sound proof.

"Ugh, they never shut up." she groaned.

Metal Bat and Flash were bickering again. Bat was talking about how they should have stayed to fight since they already wasted their time getting to the meeting, causing the trap-I mean, more elegant hero to retort that they would have been able to do nothing but get in an angry Tornado's way.

"I thought you'd have gotten used to this by now Onee-chan, what with having meetings every other week." said Fubuki. "Besides, that's how most males converse, even Eyelashes and Mountain Ape bicker from time to time."

"Yea, nii-san may be noisy, but you get used to it eventually!" concurred Zenko, who was in a swimsuit. In a hot spring.

Tatsumaki crossed her arms, letting out a frustrated 'hmph'. "Doesn't change the fact he's grating to my ears."

"Oh! I know a way to shut them up! Just do this!" Zenko dipped herself into the springs fully, causing everyone else to laugh, while Tatsumaki just took half her advice, and stuffed her ears with her powers.

 ** _"Why didn't I think of this before?"_** the ESPer wondered.

* * *

 _Even more later._

All were sat down in front of a stage where Sitch stood. Everyone had the Spring's most expensive and sought after set meal in front of them as they were addressed by the man.

"So, while I doubt Madam Shibawa's prophecy has passed, this matter will be addressed later. For today, let's all enjoy ourselves. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" exclaimed everyone.

"Oh! I do believe this is 'Dragon Killer'!" complimented Bang.

"Truly an amazing Sake." agreed Iaian.

"Yea. It's easy to drink but it's strong." said Atomic Samurai. "Shall we have a challenge, Silver Fang?"

Bang chuckled. "I don't see why not."

Unfortunately, some heroes were already wasted, specifically Puri-Puri-Prisoner, Tank Top Master and Superalloy Darkshine, who were currently posing and showing off their muscles. To this, Tatsumaki groaned, while Metal Bat did his best to hide his Imouto's eyes, and Fubuki snickered. Everyone else was pretty much used to this happening so didn't give much of a damn.

"Nii! I want to see the ballerinas!" exclaimed Zenko, causing the few staff members around to giggle.

"Trust me, you don't wanna see these ones." replied Metal Bat.

"Oh come on! It's been so long since I've watched a dance Nii!" Zenko was pouting now, causing Metal Bat to get anxious.

"Uh... tell you what, we'll go see some real ballerinas after your competition, kay Zenko?" suggested pompadour head, not wanting to upset his Imouto.

"Fine, I'll be gracious just this once!" The staff members could no longer control themselves, no thanks to the drinks, and were soon chuckling away, while Metal Bat just heaved a sigh of relief. "Now let me go before I hurt you!"

Thankfully, before the little girl's innocence could be robbed from her, the three 'ballerinas' were slammed right onto the floor face down, though with enough force to only cause a 'thump', nothing more, a green glow surrounding them.

"There, they stopped their horrendous dancing." grumbled Tatsumaki as she picked up another piece of fish.

"Phew, thanks. I owe ya one." Metal Bat released Zenko, who pouted even more.

"Thanks for saving me Miss Tornado. Nii is going to get it from me if we don't see any ballerinas!" Tatsumaki hummed, not sure how to respond to both a thankful Baddo and a thankful Zenko. She turned towards her own Imouto, raising her glass. "Fubuki, wanna have a drinking contest?"

Fubuki sweatdropped. "Huh? B-but, it didn't really go so well the last ti-"

"Look, I've improved since then, okay? No need to worry about me. You wanna drink or not?"

"Uh... no thanks Onee-chan. 'Dragon Killer' might be too strong for me."

"They've got other drinks though!"

"Oh come on Tats, someone of your size should be drinking something that isn't alcoholic." chimed in Saitama as he grabbed the glass of Sake out of the ESPer's hands.

"Huh?! What are you implying cue ball!"

"Nothing! I just think your alcohol tolerance couldn't possibly be too good. Besides, what if you get a hangover tomorrow? The trip is two days, isn't it?"

"Why you stupid-"

"Tatsumaki, language. There are children here." Genos interrupted the ESPer, receiving a trip into the wall behind him as thanks.

"Hmph! Fine, but only because I hate hangovers."

Fubuki inwardly sighed in relief. Sober Tatsumaki was a lot easier to deal with after all.

"Good girl. I'll go get you some orange juice." Unfortunately, Saitama decided to fuck it all up, and his flat tone only further enraged the ESPer.

"THAT'S IT! I'LL TEACH YOU NOT TO DISRESPECT ME! A DRINKING CHALLENGE, YOU AND ME, EGGHEAD!"

"Sensei, would you rather I take the challenge for you?" Genos inquired, but Saitama just shook his head.

"It's fine dude, I'n not gonna take her up on it." said the bald as he remembered exactly how Bang and Fubuki initially planned to get him and the petite ESPer together. "Besides, I can't even get drunk anymore. Not sure why."

The glass in Saitama's hand suddenly got a bit lighter as Tatsumaki pulled all the Sake out of it and dumped it right onto Saitama.

"Can't even get drunk? More like too cowardly to try!"

Saitama deadpanned as he realised there was no way he was getting out of this. **_"Yea well, at least there won't be any cliche romance after this."_** He wiped his face dry with his sleeves. "Ah fine. I'll go get some of the lighter stuff."

"OH YOU THINK I'M GONNA GO EASY ON YOU?! KEEP DREAMING! WE'RE TAKING THE 'DRAGON KILLER', YOU HEAR?! FIRST TO GET DRUNK LOSES-"

As expected, Tatsumaki was out first, right after just 3 cups.

"One... one more damn it!"

"Eh, give it up Tats. I don't wanna be responsible for you getting a throbbing headache tomorrow."

"Shu... shut up Baldy! I can..." the ESPer resisted a hurl, "take it."

"Yea... no." Saitama glanced at Fubuki, noticing a small smile. "Fubuki, please help me convince her to stop."

"You won't... try if you know what's-" another resisted hurl, "good for y-you, Imouto."

Fubuki raised her hands into the air, "You heard her.", the smile on her face grew by a bit. Across her, Genos was having the hardest challenge in his life to not be a brash idiot and let slip another comment that could get the building damaged. "Sensei, perhaps you should escort her to her room to rest."

"Eh?! No way dude, that's Bang and Fubuki's job!" exclaimed Saitama. This was quickly turning into exactly what he didn't want.

"One... more... damn it!" Tatsumaki yanked at Saitama's robe to try and get his attention. Unfortunately, she didn't have as much control as sober Tornado, and ended up causing the top half to slip halfway down the bald's chest.

"Huh-Oi!" Saitama quickly pulled it back up, "Stop it Tats, I'm serious here!"

"Not with tha-that face you aren't!"

Saitama let out a sigh as he put on as serious a face as he could muster. "Now I am Serious. No more drinking."

For some reason, that got Tatsumaki to shut up for about a second before she crossed her arms in annoyance. "Fine! I needed to use the facilities anyway." The ESPer floated off, somehow wobbling midair.

The baldy let out a sigh of relief as he continued to eat. "I told her this wasn't a good idea."

Fubuki giggled, whispering to Saitama.. "Oh don't worry about it, you handled it-" she snicked, "masterfully."

"I agree Sensei, I detected a sudden increase in her heart rate when you got serious, though it stopped almost immediately." Genos kept his voice down.

"Eh? Dude, isn't that kinda intrusive?" Both Genos and Fubuki deadpanned at Saitama.

"That's not the point Sensei. I believe you have a chance with her-"

"Dude, she's drunk. Obviously she can't think straight. I told you already, I'm not going to take advantage like that. Plus, you said it yourself, it stopped immediately."

"But Sense-"

"No buts Genos! I told you all before, I'm not going to risk a relationship knowing it could do more harm. What hero would I be if I did?"

Genos hung his head in shame as once again, his wise Sensei teaches him another lesson to being a hero. "Of course. I apologise, Sensei."

The bald let out a sigh. "I keep telling you not to- never mind..."

Fubuki shook her head. "Well, after this trip, we'll find a way to make you all emotional again, I promise."

"Oi, it's bad to make a promise you don't know you can keep." cautioned Saitama, causing Genos to pull out a notebook to once again record his words of wisdom.

Fubuki snickered. "Do you really have so little faith in me? What about Bang and Genos?"

Saitama shook his head. "Look, I'm not gonna talk about this. I'm gonna go to the toilet. He turned around and walked a few steps but stopped, turning back around. "Eh, where even are the toilets?"

Even though Genos gave him directions, Saitama got lost anyway, unsurprisingly, as he took the wrong turn, ending up outside the women's toilets.

"Oh, was it supposed to be a left turn?" he mumbled to himself as he awkwardly scratched his neck. "Oh well." He turned around and started to walk again, when unfortunately for him, Tatsumaki, by some miraculous chance, floated out of the entrance.

"Oi, octopus," she floated over to Saitama, bonking him on the back of the head. "you and I have unfinished business!"

"Go to your room Tats, you're drunk."

"Am not!"

"Am to."

"AM NOT!" the ESPer 'crouched' on Saitama's shoulders as she repeatedly hit the back of his head. "AM NOT, AM NOT, AM NOT!" Saitama set her back down on the ground, causing her to instead target his chest. "FIGHT ME CAPED BALDY!"

"Tats, please." groaned Saitama, still hating his hero name.

The stood there as Tatsumaki continued to smack Saitama, each of her 'am not's getting quieter and slower, her punches slowed down until she was panting.

"Alright, fine. I'm getting you to bed." Without waiting for an answer, he picked up the ESPer in a piggyback, causing her to yelp in shock.

"Put me... down you stupid bal... baldy."

"No, this is for your own good. Seriously Tats, hangovers are horrible.

"I...know that... you... idiot." Tatsumaki plopped herself onto Saitama's chromedome, using it as a makeshift pillow.

"Man, this feels like a cliche." complained Saitama, his worst nightmare of living in a shitty soap opera coming true.

"Then don't ma... make it one," the ESPer yawned, "and fight me."

"Some other time Tats."

The two of them were silent for a while as Saitama tried to find his way to her room. He eventually caved in and asked her for directions.

"Ugh. Put me down."

"Okay." Saitama crouched down, allowing Tatsumaki to hop off. She suddenly held onto his hand, and began dragging him along. "Uh... Tats?"

"Shut up. I'm ti..." a small yawn, "tired, and I don't trust your sense of directions, so I'll guide."

"Oh. Okay."

The two of them walked around a bit more, when Tatsumaki sighed and sat down next to a wall.

"Tats?"

"Shut up." The ESPer pulled out her phone, sending a quick text to Fubuki. It didn't take a genius to figure out she got lost too.

"You must really be tired." noted Saitama as he sat himself down too.

A minute of silence went by, when Tatsumaki nudged Saitama.

"Hey," she began, "I wanna thank you for trying to help Fubuki."

"Eh? Didn't you say you were tired-"

"I'm tryi... trying not to fall asleep so sh-shut up and let me talk."

"Oh."

"Anyway... thanks. She might finally ditch that group of hers if only to try and catch up to room... roomba in rank."

Saitama stared into blank space for a moment, debating whether or not he seriously wanted to do this. _**"Screw it. It's only a cliche if I make it one. This is just a normal conversation is all."**_ He turned back to the ESPer. "Sure, no problem."

Tatsumaki nodded her head in acknowledgement and there was another moment of silence as Saitama chose his words carefully.

"Hey... Tats?"

"What?"

"I was wondering why you keep insisting Fubuki ditch her friends. And also, about that whole only make friends with the strong thing."

For a moment, Saitama thought, no, knew he saw sadness in the ESPer's eyes, which quickly turned into a burning hatred.

"You don't need to know."

"Tats..."

"YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW!" In a sudden burst of energy, Tatsumaki rumbled the walls around her. Realising he totally screwed it up, Saitama placed his hand on the ESPer's shoulders, lightly squeezing like he's seen friends do in movies.

"Calm down Tats! You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I don't have the right to force you." The ESPer calmed down, and the walls stopped rumbling.

"Good that you know." She sat back down, Saitama following suit.

"But still, if you feel comfortable about sharing it, I'd like to know." he turned away as he tried not to look her in the eyes. People can tell if you're lying just by your eyes after all, and she didn't need to know he'd been told by Bang already.

"...Why?"

"Because that's what friends do. We care for each other. Not all humans can be friends Tats, but I assure you there are some out there."

"...You're wrong."

"Huh?"

"There's no such thing as friends. Only family. Even then you have to differentiate your real family from a fake one." Tatsumaki's voice got noticeably softer, almost like whimpering.

 _ **"Huh. I guess the alcohol is taking it's toll... shit, should I really?"**_ Saitama rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey, don't say that. There's no such thing as a fake family, and friends do exist. In the end, there's only two kinds of people. The people who genuinely care about you, and the ones that don't."

"... Yea right. You don't know about my family, my parents."

"Of course I don't, which is why I have no right to judge you. But, as your friend, I want you to know that I think your mindset is... unhealthy."

"Idiot! It's not unhealthy, it's the truth! My parents, they-" the ESPer sniffled, her eyes got watery and stung, eliciting the need to blink.

Saitama, noticing just how close to reality the shitty soap opera was getting tried to comfort her. "T-Tats, stop. If you don't want to talk about it, do-"

"No! I'll make you understand. I'll make sure you never insult me by claiming I can make friends with any random weakling again!" Tatsumaki clenched her fists so hard, her knuckles turned white. "My parents. They pretended to care. They pretended I mattered. As soon as the right price was offered, they sold me off like I was fucking merchandise! They knew what those bastards would do to me, but they didn't care! THEY. NEVER. CARED. Then those monsters did the same thing to Fubuki. They would sell their own biological children just to make a quick buck! CAN YOU HONESTLY TELL ME THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A FAKE FAMILY?!"

Saitama flinched. Hearing it from Bang, he was mortified, but hearing it from Tatsumaki herself, her voice, so venomous... it was... moving? "But what about Bang? What about Fubuki? I'm sorry about your parents, Tats, but that's my point. They didn't genuinely care about you, but Bang and Fubuki, they genuinely care about you... I care about you." There and then, he realised his nightmare came alive. He felt it. A heartbeat. He felt alive.

It took some time for Saitama's words to register in Tatsumaki, but when it did, a bit of red came to her cheeks. "You... what?"

 _ **"Ah crap. This is exactly what I didn't want."**_ Saitama sighed inwardly as he prepared to do his part as a hero, and to fulfill his promise to Bang. "There are people who care about you, you just gotta find them, and you already have." the baldy smiled. "I'm glad I met you, Tatsumaki. You, Genos, Bang, even your sister. My life has gotten... considerably less boring since I've known you all. So please, let me help change your life too. Let me be your friend..." He extended a hand to the shaking ESPer.

Tatsumaki stared at Saitama for a second before glancing towards his extended hand. She seemed to get more intense by the second, and Saitama was worried for a second she might somehow break her own knuckles by clenching too hard, when the ESPer suddenly crashed right into Saitama, her right hand pounding on him. "Fucking Baldy... Who do you think you are, crashing into my life, making such a ridiculous request..." she said between sobs.

Saitama hesitantly placed one hand on her head, gently smoothing out her hair while simultaneously patting her back with the other. "Come on, don't be like that. You're the Tornado of Terror, right? Don't cry because some worthless bald idiot made you mad... Please?"

Tatsumaki continued to cry on Saitama and smacking him with an increasingly tired hand, eventually just sobbing, while the baldy continued to comfort her until she eventually stopped sobbing entirely.

"Saitama?" whimpered Tatsumaki, her voice soft.

"Yea?" he replied, realising this was the first time she called him by his name.

"Thank you."

And with that, all was quiet as the Tornado of Terror fell asleep in the Caped Baldy's arms. Saitama smiled a bit as he very carefully moved the ESPer away, not wanting whoever she texted to see them in an awkward situation. Right on time too, as Fubuki, Genos and Bang turned the corner as soon as he settled the heroine down.

"Onee-chan? Are you... oh." Fubuki's eyes widened a little when she noticed the peaceful, somehow smiling, form of her Onee-chan, and a no longer nonchalant Saitama sitting beside her.

"Eh? Three of you to fetch Tats? A bit overkill right?" the bald stood up, carrying the ESPer bridal style.

"Sensei, Fubuki was the one who received a text. I was brought along as I could detect your signals as Tatsumaki failed to specifically state where in the building you two were. Bang-san was simply worried, therefore he followed. Was my explanation sufficient?"

Saitama nodded as he tried to ignore the fact the cyborg totally surpassed 20 words. "Yea, it's fine."

"So, Saitama-kun. I take it you've somehow gotten through to my granddaughter?" asked Bang.

"We're friends is all."

"Are you sure?"

"Until she says otherwise, that is how it is to me." Saitama handed the sleeping ESPer to Bang, who carried her piggyback. _**"Welp, that totally felt like a soap opera."**_

"I guess our plan went through anyway, huh?" Fubuki giggled. "So... anything Saitama?"

"Eh?"

"Sensei," Genos pulled up a HUD from his arms, "I am detecting an increased heart rate. Could it be your emotions are starting to surface, and you've fallen for Tatsumaki?" Genos smiled. "I am happy for you, Sensei. One as great as you deserves happiness. If you-"

"Genos," interrupted Saitama, "All I know is I asked to be her friend, nothing more, and I highly doubt she feels otherwise. So please you guys, don't say anything okay?" Saitama glared at Genos specifically remembering the other times the blonde was far too blunt for his own good.

"If that is what Sensei wishes, who am I to say otherwise." Genos bowed a perfect 90 degrees. "Tatsumaki will know from you, and you alone. I promise."

"If it means you'll continue to help my Onee-chan, I do too." Fubuki smirked, noticing the red on Saitama's face.

"And you already know my answer, Saitama-kun." Bang smiled in content.

"Cool. Now come on, I still need the toilet." Saitama yawned. _**"Man, I don't remember emotions being this tiring..."**_

* * *

And it's done. I apologise for the long wait guys, I was trying to decide whether or not any of this wasn't realistic. I mean, the sudden return of Saitama's emotions felt a bit rushed to me at first, then I watched a video explaining he wasn't apathetic, rather bored, and that his emotions are still there, just waiting to wake up again, so I went with it.

I apologise by the way if I didn't manage to write drunk Tats without making everyone cringe from how OOC she was. I couldn't get much info about whether or not being drunk makes you open up more, and her behaviour I took from stories I remember reading, not real life experience, so this may feel too much like some shitty drama. Sorry.

Anyway, here we go I guess. Time for some more OOC Tatsumaki, maybe even a bit of GenBuki. Oh, and I decided to introduce the bat siblings here, so there's that. Expect a lot more from them, and probably the other S classes too. *Cough* Your Majesty, *Cough*. Woop dee freakin doo.

Thank you all for reading my story, and taking the time to review it. Your support has been one hell of a source of motivation for me, and I hope I can continue to write at least an adequate story for you all. Until the next chapter!

* * *

Scarletrailgun: Oh, she's drunk alright. Man I should get myself drunk so I can write these more realistically. And thank you for reminding me of the Wattpad story. Welp, hopefully I don't butcher the relationship thing.

Ander Arias: *Confetti and Party Blower* woo 100+ reviews! Thanks, I'll keep in mind to focus on improving my dialogue scenes as well.

Hektols: Maybe in a filler in the future? *Shrug*

Rebmul: Is it sufficiently fluffy?"

Mobydicks: Le ship has sailed, and I hope the journey is smooth throughout.

Elfetrange: I dunno about adorable, I probably tried to make it angsty a bit too much. And yea, Fubuki and Genos are gonna jump on the 'developing feelings' train too. Let's hope this here conductor doesn't derail it!

Chrisfragger, Review 1: I'll keep that in mind when I rewrite the first few chapters.

Chrisfragger, Review 3: I... may or may not have changed that a bit too quickly.

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

Threat level: Tornado: Wattpad

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad.

* * *

Stories I've been trying to learn from, including the above.

Secter and Tatsumaki: Fanfiction

Love is like a blizzard: Fanfiction

Empty Heart, Meet Aching Heart: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

Flight of the Silverbird: Fanfiction

For The Love of a Favour: Fanfiction

Hit me Like a Truck: Fanfiction

Boundless more I should probably get around to taking notes from.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	19. Chapter 19: Progress? (Quick update)

**_"Ugh, my head."_**

It was at the crack of dawn when Tatsumaki woke up, her head throbbing, as she always does when she drinks too much. The heroine looked around her room, trying to focus herself. Her Imouto was sleeping peacefully in a bed next to hers, and the clock was ticking away. Tatsumaki lifted her blanket off and headed for the door. No chance she would be able to get through an entire phone call without waking Fubuki up, much less when the noisy idiots come knocking. Just as she locked the door behind her, Bang appeared.

"A headache Tatsumaki-chan?" the ESPer nodded in response, grunting.

"How much did I drink?"

Bang raised an eyebrow. "You don't remember?" he inquired.

"I only remember cue ball insulting me before I challenged him to a drink off." replied the esper, shaking her head.

Bang sighed, a slight hint of disappointment clear in his tone. "Well, I suppose we should get you some tea."

Tatsumaki, having lived with the old hero for half her life, didn't fail to notice. "What is it Bang? Did something happen?"

"You really don't remember?"

"Remember what?" her memory was hazy at best. She tried to think back to the night before, but nothing came to her.

"It's nothing. I'm sure it'll come to you soon."

"Bang," insisted the ESPer, "tell me what happened, and why it has affected your mood."

Bang looked at Tatsumaki for a few seconds, shaking his head.

"What CAN you remember?"

Tatsumaki strained herself once more, "Drink off, toilet, and that's it."

* * *

 _Hours prior_

Saitama walked out the door, sighing in content as he stretched himself a bit.

"Sensei, shall we return to our rooms or do you have something else to do?"

Genos was waiting outside, having bid Bang and Fubuki farewell since the two needed to get Tatsumaki to bed.

"Eh, nothing really. Did they clean up our plates already? Would be a waste if I didn't finish the food."

"No Sensei, I instructed them to pack the food and leave it in our room.

Saitama smiled a bit. "Man, you think of everything don't you?" he commended.

Genos' face lit up like a light bulb at his Sensei's words. "Thank you Sensei!" he exclaimed.

"Welp, I guess that means it's back to our rooms we go."

"Yes Sensei!"

"Oh, Genos, go heat up the food first. I wanna walk around a bit"

"Of course Sensei!" The blonde raced off towards the room to accomplish the task he was given, and Saitama sighed.

"What did I do to deserve people like him..."

The bald wandered around the halls of the building, taking in the beauty of it all in the night light as he thought about his life up to this point.

 ** _"Man did I sound cheesy back there. I mean... I guess it's true and all."_** Saitama had gone outside and was taking in the fresh air as he watched the stars twinkle. **_"How should I continue from here? Kinda feel like an asshole if I just straight up confess... yet, it has been so long since I had feelings..."_** He placed his hand over where his heart lay, feeling it beat for the first time in a long time. **_"Haigh, whatever. I'll leave tomorrow's problems to tomorrow's me."_**

As Saitama rounded the corner to where his rooms were, he noticed one of the heroes from earlier, a pale looking guy wobbling about, knocking into the walls.

"Hey!"

The guy didn't hear him.

"Oi!"

This time, he heard him. The pale dude turned around, a Desert Eagle in hand, pointed right at Saitama's head. "Step away if you want to... oh." He holstered the gun, chuckling. "Apologies. I get a bit edgy when I'm drunk."

Saitama shrugged his shoulders. "No biggie. Just wanted to know if you were okay is all."

"Ah, I'm fine. Thank yo-" a sword was plunged right into the dude's stomach, and the drunk laughter of Tatsumaki came from behind him, along with the hurried footsteps of Bang and Fubuki. The ESPer's laughter slowed down until she was about to collapse, when Saitama leaped over the pale dude's body and caught her.

"Guys? Didn't Tats fall asleep already?" questioned the baldy

Bang had slowed down the moment he spotted Saitama, and was calmly walking up to the bald, while Fubuki was breathless from her brief exercise, and she was taking her own sweet time.

"Ah, Saitama-kun. Apologies, Tatsumaki-chan just started floating off after grabbing Atomic Samurai's sword." Bang toyed with his moustache.

"So like, sleep walking but instead of walking it's using her powers?"

"I suppose. First time I've seen it though." shrugged the old hero.

"Not the first... time I saw it." Fubuki was still trying to catch her breath as she walked to the two males. "It happened on... once, a year before she was taken-."

"Eh? You can remember stuff from when you were a kid?" interrupted Saitama as he once again passed the sleeping Tornado to Bang.

"That's besides the point." the woman had regained her breath, and straitened her posture. "That time, we just celebrated her birthday, and she was extremely happy due to the huge amount of sugar she consumed and the teddy bear she received." she said, smirking.

"Okay? So?" Saitama didn't get it.

"So, it means she is extremely happy right now."

"... Oh, that's good I guess."

Fubuki facepalmed, causing Bang to chuckle.

"What she means to say, Saitama-kun, is that you've made Tatsumaki-chan quite happy. Which means..."

A moment of silence as Bang waited for it to get through the bald hero's obsidian head, before he sighed. "you have a chance, Saitama-kun." he finished.

"Oh." Saitama's eyes widened a little. "Ohhhhh. I uh..." Saitama awkwardly smiled as he rubbed his neck, completely caught off guard, causing the two in front of him to laugh a bit. "Uh, I dunno guys... you probably got it wrong. I mean, she might not even remember any of this when she wakes up!"

Fubuki shook her head as she placed a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing anymore. "Ahem, why are you so against dating my Onee-chan Saitama?"

The bald hero was sweating profusely, and it was not because he was feeling hot. "I... look, I just don't wanna screw it up okay? Do I really look like boyfriend material to you?"

Fubuki glanced up and down the hero with a hand on her chin, humming sarcastically.. "I don't see why not."

Saitama deadpanned, turning his head to Bang, who still had that smirk on his face. "Old man, tell your daughter I'm right, and that I'll screw it up."

"Apologies Saitama-kun, but I cannot. In fact, I'd rather you at least try."

Saitama was shaking a little bit, worry all over his face. "Okay, let's just forget this okay? I'll stay her friend, nothing more."

"But you did say you'll try if you regained your emotions did you not? Or are you seriously backing out like a coward." Fubuki remarked, folding her arms and growing her smirk.

"I... uh... Okay, fine. If Tats asks me on a date, I'll do it. There, now it will never happen!"

Bang sighed. "Very well Saitama-kun, if you insist."

"Phew... welp, I'm gonna go guys, I got a late sna- oh crap!" It was at this moment Saitama remembered the guy who got stabbed laying quite still behind him. "Uh, shouldn't we report this?"

Bang glanced at the body for a second, and chuckled. "No need at all. Fubuki-chan, hold on to Tatsumaki-chan for a second." As Fubuki levitated the sleeping ESPer. Bang walked over to the corpse, and yanked the sword out, eliciting a cry of pain from the supposedly dead man.

"Agh, who wakes a sleeping person up with that much force?" groaned the corpse

"Apologies Zombieman, but you were in a-" Bang raised the arm carrying the sword, grinning, "sticky situation."

Zombieman winced in pain as he stood up. "Hah, good one. Thanks Bang-san."

Saitama watched all of this with his eyes wide in amazement.

* * *

"What do you mean the baldy-" Tatsumaki's head throbbed once more, complaining to her she was too loud. "the baldy... likes me?" she rubbed at her head, the pain having multiplied since Bang just told her this very alarming news.

"Is it really that hard to believe after what I just told you?" Bang smirked. "You are quite charming, Tatsumaki-chan."

"Ugh, don't start with the proud father stage Bang."

"Come now, can't I be happy for my granddaughter?"

Tatsumaki pursed her lips as she looked down at the floor. "Still... all that crap in front of him... I embarrassed myself."

The old man chuckled. "Not at all. So? Would you?"

Tatsumaki thought about it for a few seconds, before glancing back up. "Uh... you wouldn't happen to know what he likes, would you?"

* * *

I apologise for this short update, but I needed to let you all know my wifi went down, and the damned company has decided to postpone the date I get the new router installed. I can only write this because of mobile data, but that stuff's expensive. Apologies, but I gotta get this done quick, proper notes will be written next chapter. Replies to reviews will be stupidly short, sorry

* * *

Chrissfragger, I missed this review, woops.: Eh, in due time?

Elfetrange: That's good to know I guess.

SeductiveSausage: Thank you. I think I could've went a bit slower honestly, but I'll keep trying.

inquirySaitama: He cooked the stuff. No further arguements can be made.

Ander Arias: Can't thank you or anyone else properly this time, but thanks.

Hektols: *Gestures to manga where she jumped in between Baddo and -*

starlightkitsune2178: Good to know

TbagTheGreat: Guidelines say K+ is good enough for coarse language. I'll up to T just in case, but I've yet to right any 18+ so no need for M. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Guest: I'm assuming this is 'the reformist' or any of the other writers. Thank you for your offer, apologies for mispelling story.

Scarletrailgun: Thank you

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

Threat level: Tornado: Wattpad

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad.

* * *

Stories I've been trying to learn from, including the above.

Secter and Tatsumaki: Fanfiction

Love is like a blizzard: Fanfiction

Empty Heart, Meet Aching Heart: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

Flight of the Silverbird: Fanfiction

For The Love of a Favour: Fanfiction

Hit me Like a Truck: Fanfiction

Call me home: AO3

The Pain of me and you: AO3

Boundless more I should probably get around to taking notes from.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	20. Chapter 20: A Relationship

Genos had woken up quite early, considering Saitama was still snoring away on his bed. The blonde was busy making some plans for what he could possibly do to make it up to Fubuki, as well as what he could do to help Saitama with his love life. He sighed as he clicked off the built-in browser he had Kuseno install. Despite his extensive searching, the cyborg just couldn't find enough advice on how to handle a scenario as specific as his Sensei's.

"Perhaps you were right Sensei. Your own character might be all you require." he wondered to himself as he glanced towards the baldy.

As quietly as his metal body would allow him, Genos stepped outside of the room, gently shutting the door, but not before leaving a note informing Saitama he had gone to get breakfast. It was a simple task really, considering he had already informed the staff the night before that his Sensei would require a warm cup of tea along with only the best the place had to offer in terms of breakfast.

Thanking the staff member, Genos turned to head back to his room. As he was about to round the corner, he was surprised to hear the shuffling of what seemed to be slippers against the hard wood floor, considering none of the staff members could be that unprofessional. He was further surprised when he saw Tatsumaki just standing outside his room, staring at the door with her fists lightly clenched.

"Tatsumaki." The ESPer let out a small gasp, confirming to Genos she was, in fact, deep in thought. About what, he could only guess.

"Oh, it's you. What do you want?" replied Tatsumaki.

"To bring Sensei his breakfast." Genos plainly replied. This caused Tatsumaki to glance back at the door, before letting out a small 'oh', and moving back to create space for him.

As Genos entered the room, he held it open with his one free hand. "Would you like to come in Tatsumaki?" he asked.

"What? Why the hell would I want to do that?" snapped the woman, folding her arms and looking away. "I was just thinking if I should remind you two to get ready soon."

"If you say so, miss." deadpanned Genos, as he closed the door and carefully placed Saitama's breakfast on the nearby table. It took about a whole 3.5 seconds before there was a knock on the door. Smiling to himself, the blonde unlocked the door, letting the ESPer in.

"Would you like something to drink, Tatsumaki?" enquired Genos as he once again locked the door.

"No. Just do me a favour and wake up egghead."

Resisting the urge to ask why she didn't just do it herself, Genos walked over to Saitama's bed. Standing at attention beside it, he took a deep breath. "Sensei!"

Saitama made a snorting sound as he slowly opened his eyes. He very lazily sat up and let out a loud yawn. "What's up Genos?"

"Sensei, I have brought breakfast. Please consume it while it's at an optimal temperature."

"Oh, su-*yawn*-sure. Just gimme 10 more minutes." Saitama collapsed on the bed again, pulling the blanket over himself.

"Also, Tatsumaki wants to speak to you." continued Genos.

A muffled hum came from beneath the blankets as Saitama rolled around, trying to fall back asleep.

"She is currently at our table waiting."

"Mmm...Wait, what?" Saitama kicked the blanket off quite quickly as he ran straight into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"Unbelievable." muttered the ESPer, as she unlocked the door with her powers. "Cyborg, I want to talk to baldy in private. Do you mind?"

Genos nodded as he heated up Saitama's tea with his palm. Once he was satisfied, he walked towards the door. The instant he stepped outside, the door was slammed shut on him and locked. Shaking his head, the blonde made his way to the psychic sisters' room. After all, if Tatsumaki could 'take the initiative', why couldn't he?

It didn't take long for Genos to find the room. Unlike Saitama, he had an excellent sense of direction. His built in GPS helped too, really. So did his radar. And the fact that he could detect the heat signature of Fubuki and Bang. But yeah, an excellent sense of direction.

Genos stood at the door, trying for the 5th time to decide if bringing nothing and just barging in would be considered good enough. He would've done more, but he remembered his Sensei's words.

When Fubuki opened the door, she was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, wondering just who would come knocking so early in the morning. When she realised it was Genos standing at attention in front of her she stared at him for a few seconds.

"Oh. Uhm, hi, what are you here so early for?" she finally asked.

"Good morning, Fubuki. I was wondering if I may speak with you."

"Oh. Sure, come in." Fubuki held the door open, letting Genos in. She closed the door and led the blonde to her table. "Make yourself at home. I'll go get us some water. Or would you rather tea?"

"Just water is fine, thank you."

By the time Fubuki placed the two glasses of water on the table, Genos had already calculated over a hundred ways he could screw it up, and was trying to determine what would be the perfect route. Seeing the cyborg so intensely in thought, Fubuki sighed and tapped his shoulder, causing the blonde to look up.

"Genos, if you're worried about what I think of you after... well, that, don't be. I'd be perfectly happy if we resume dating. Just... not as a task and an object, but an actual date." said the ESPer.

"I see. Thank you for this chance, Fubuki." beamed Genos, his own smile causing Fubuki to smile back.

"You know, you should smile more. It definitely beats your usual scowl." she commented.

"I... if you wish, I shall." replied the cyborg, blushing a bit.

"But only in private I guess. Gotta live up to your name, right 'Demon Cyborg?" joked Fubuki, eliciting a small laugh out of Genos.

The two started to discuss what they could do the next day, finally deciding on a simple meal and perhaps some shopping. As Genos thanked Fubuki for her time, and proceeded to head back to his room, he couldn't help but wonder if his Sensei had as much luck as he did. Not that he would ever need luck, of course.

* * *

Saitama spat out another mouthful of water as he wondered what he could say. There were so many factors though, and he was getting a headache from thinking so much. "Ugh, this was so much easier before." he complained.

He stepped outside to find Tatsumaki sitting at his table, her arms crossed. The breakfast set he could only assume was his was glowing green.

"Eh, are you holding my food hostage?" joked Saitama as he sat down.

"No, I'm just trapping the heat so you don't eat it cold." said the ESPer plainly. She pushed the set towards Saitama, gesturing for him to start eating. "Here, you might as well finish that as we speak."

Surprisingly, Saitama managed to gulp down everything before Tatsumaki could say another word. He let out a burp as he placed his cup of tea down, making sure he drank only a little so it could last him the whole talk.

"I said AS we speak you..." Tatsumaki sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "You know what, this is probably better. Now I want you to answer me honestly, egghead." she demanded, crossing her arms on the table. "What... happened last night?"

Saitama's eyes widened in surprise. "You don't remember?"

"No," Tatsumaki replied, shaking her head. "Bang only told me I stabbed Zombieman. After that, I fell asleep drunk. But... I'm sure he's keeping something from me."

"Oh." Saitama thanked the gods above for this amazing luck. He wouldn't have to deal with too much emotional crap after all. "Eh, there really isn't much, Tats. In fact, I think Bang gave you a great summary."

Tatsumaki furrowed her eyebrows. "I said honestly, you idiot."

Scratch that. Of course Tatsumaki was too smart to fall for his lie. Saitama rubbed the back of his neck as he broke eye contact with the ESPer, thinking of what he should say.

"Uhm... I don't think you'd like hearing it Tats."

"I don't care. I just want to know what the hell happened for Bang to think you like me."

This caught Saitama off guard, his eyes widened in shock.

"Oh my god... are you serious?" exclaimed Tatsumaki.

"Ok, look, you were drunk, and you told me what happened to you when you were a kid ok? That just... I dunno, seeing you all sad just... I..." Saitama looked down, sighing, "I'm sorry. I know how you feel about friends, much less a relationship. I won't mind if we go back to being strangers." Saitama kept his head down as he waited for the ESPer to simply walk out, when instead she simply clicked her tongue.

"Well, at least you're not weak."

"Huh?" Saitama looked up, utterly confused.

"I mean... it could be worse. It really could." the ESPer grimaced in disgust.

"So..." Saitama was wondering if he was being played again, because god knows luck was never on his side. "you're saying you want to... d-"

"Oh, of course not. I was going to murder you you DENSE EGG WHAT ELSE COULD I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SAY?!" shouted Tatsumaki.

A few seconds of silence went by as Saitama stared at the ESPer with his usual blank expression. Except it really wasn't that blank. Not now at least.

"Oh. If you- if you're sure about this, then I guess we could-*gulp*-date"

Tatsumaki chuckled, much to Saitama's surprise. "Oh, so NOW you're scared. A massive beam of energy that looked like it could vaporise you, no biggy, but dating me, you're gonna start gulping like you're in the presence of god?" she quipped, her smile smug. "Am I really that amazing?"

Saitama gulped again as he found himself interested in the nearby wall. "Well, that's kinda the reason..."

"You going to elaborate, cue ball?" asked Tatsumaki, frowning.

"I just... I don't think I'm good enough for you. I mean, you're like the most looked up to hero, and I'm just some nobody doing this for the kicks. And I don't want to taint what people see you as just because you're... you know, with me." conceded the baldy, scratching the back of his neck.

It was at this point Tatsumaki remembered the first time she met Saitama. The cafe, the people... the whispers. Not to mention the whole mess with the meteor, further worsened by the Sea Folk Invasion. All the crap about how Saitama was just some fake, and how she was some gullible, or perhaps far too kind, heroine who offered a hand. All because some, no, most of the people judge a book by its cover. Or in this case, a hero by their looks. And Saitama... well.

Tatsumaki had never met a more plain looking human being. Aside from the fact that he was of average height and weight, his bored, consequently boring, face was emphasised by his lack of hair. Really, if it weren't for his muscles, which his jumpsuit actually showcases, yet somehow only sometimes, she'd have written him off as some weirdo. Oh, the fact that he casually one punched a dragon level threat too. Even then, his muscles were constantly hidden by his excessively baggy clothing and lazy demeanor. It really didn't help that the one time the public witnessed his strength, it was downplayed by the damn test the brainless trash controlling the Hero's Association came up with. And the fact that the punch was pulled off so... simply.

"*sigh*-Goddamn it baldy..." muttered the ESPer as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "weren't you the one who told me not to act on others' words? Who fucking cares if they think you're using me, as long as you prove otherwise, it'll be fine. Go take down some demons on your own or something, actually make sure you report it so you get the credit."

"You really wouldn't mind?"

"It's either you, or I fly solo. And while I won't mind the latter... Well, I feel like I'll disappoint Bang."

There was some silence, then Saitama sighed. "Well, if you really don't mind," he stood up, stretching a hand out to the ESPer, "Tats, will you go on a date with me?"

The ESPer floated up, taking the Baldy's hand. "Very well. You have the honour of calling the great Tornado of Terror, S class Rank 2, your girlfriend." she replied smugly.

Saitama finally smiled over something other than sales and free food.

* * *

The rest of the day was surprisingly quick, with the heroes taking one last soak in the outdoor springs before a simple breakfast was had, and they parted ways, awaiting their next only ones going off together were Bang, Fubuki, Tatsumaki, Genos and Saitama.

"Oh, so a date then, Genos-kun?" chortled Bang, as he jabbed the blonde's chest with his elbow. "Try not to have too much fun, eh?"

"Jii-san!" exclaimed Fubuki, lightly punching the old hero on the shoulder, eliciting a chuckle. "You're making Genos overheat!"

True enough, Genos was blushing, not steaming like Saitama witnessed on that first kiss, but definitely enough to be noticeably red. Especially with his perfectly toned skin.

"Tsk, you two are so cheesy," complained Tatsumaki, "at least I picked the simpleton. God only knows how much lovey dovey I can take before I have to go on a killing spree."

Bang, Fubuki and Genos suddenly came to a halt, and Saitama and Tatsumaki had to turn around to see their differing expressions. Bang looked like he just witnessed the greatest feat of strength he had ever seen, and it was far superior to that time the meteor went boom, Fubuki was basically catatonic, ready to fall over if the wind was too strong, and Genos had an ever growing grin, ready to humble a cheshire cat.

"What?" Both Saitama and Tatsumaki questioned simultaneously.

"Oh my god... they're even in sync." Fubuki had returned to the world of the living, and was already halfway to catching up with Genos' shit eating grin.

"Sensei, I always believed you could do it! I must speak to Doctor Kuseno about holding a banquette in your honour!" exclaimed the cyborg, already whipping out his phone.

"And after that, we must have a celebration at my dojo!" chipped in Bang.

Both Saitama and Tatsumaki deadpanned. In sync.

"Guys, it's our first date."  
"You're acting like it's a big deal."

Bang slapped a hand on Saitama's shoulder hard, silently cursing himself for forgetting what the Caped Baldy was made of. Finally, after all these years, someone managed to get to Tatsumaki. Finally, he could properly say he has no regrets. Finally, they could be truly happy.

Fubuki hugged her sister hard. And after so many years, Tatsumaki returned it. Finally, the two could stop being nothing more than blood related. Finally, they could be sisters. Finally, they could be... Family.

Realisation dawned on Genos hard. All this time, he had thought what he sought was revenge, the death of the Mad Cyborg. Finally, he realised that what he sought was, in fact, a family. And he realised, all this time, his Sensei, Saitama-Sensei, was trying to show him just that. Finally, he understood what the wise man planned for him. Truly, he was blessed to have such a Sensei.

Tatsumaki smiled, it was hard as hell to keep herself from crying along with her Imouto. Finally, she returned the hug, it was about bloody time. Finally, her Imouto has a reason to break free from the weaklings in B class. Finally, she could stop being so hard on her. And to think it was because of some stupid baldy who thought his even dumber disciple would be a good date for Fubuki. Hah, it was ridiculous.

Saitama was finding it harder and harder to stay nonchalant. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he wasn't bored. He actually felt great. Perhaps, just perhaps, emotions really aren't that bad. Finally, he could say, he got a kick out of life.

"Sensei, we should take a picture to commemorate this moment!" chirped Genos, completely destroying the 'Demon' in 'Demon Cyborg'.

The group came together for a selfie using Genos' high grade camera phone. From left to right, Genos, Fubuki, Bang, Tatsumaki and Saitama were striking poses. The first two going for the simple bunny ears over each other, Bang noogying the shit out of his daughters, Tatsumaki was pouting with her arms crossed, and Saitama just went with a basic 'cheese' pose.

And for the second time in recorded history, the Tornado of Terror was caught smiling in a photograph.

* * *

EDIT almost immediately after posting: Forgot to reply to some reviews, I'm tired.

Okay, can we pretend chapters 17 to this chapter was all one chapter, and I just split it because?

Welp, I'm back, and oh dear, it seems the chapter is extremely short. Yea, you can blame that on me writing this super late in the night, no thanks to the ISP only installing the router just hours ago, and because I really couldn't continue without dragging this chapter for a while to reach a satisfying ending. Anyway, here's the conclusion to the whole "Outdoor Springs" part of the story I guess.

First of all, I wanna apologise for the long wait. The ISP just kept delaying the installation of the new router. I honestly couldn't bloody wait to get back to writing this, especially after the manga updates and all the hype with *Spoilers*. I actually have a sort of plan for how the whole ' _this_ vs _that_ ', but somehow not whatever happens before. Heh, that's what I get for having such a picky brain.

Next thing, when I do the rewrite, should I do it as a new story? No no, I mean, same plot, same name, just instead of replacing the chapters here, I go make a new one. My thought process for this was I want to keep my mistakes here so I can always go back and reflect. And also, I really don't think it would make sense if I just... replace the whole thing and all the reviews go to waste. Also because I plan on adding a few more things I really should have added here, like for example more bonding between egg and toaster. No, it's purely platonic.

Also, because we all know it would eventually get there, should I write smut? Lemon? TO be more blunt, sex? I as a teenager with zero dating experience already find it hard to write these romance scenes because I have no idea how a real couple would talk, so imagine if I tried writing sex. I mean, I'm not averse to it, I'm just not sure if I can write it without being all cringy. Maybe I'll stick it in the filters if I really wanna give it a go. I mean, there's always the option of just cutting to the aftermath, am I right?

Anyway, it's close to midnight, and I have a Geography test I need to study for, not that it matters since it won't affect my final exam this year, so, I guess I'll talk to you all next chapter.

Once again, thank you all. Here's hoping I can improve my writing enough to do a rewrite of at least the first 10 or so chapters by, say, my birthday. Cheers!

* * *

Hektols: Not in this story. I can't possibly write it without feeling guilty about messing up the whole point of ONE's story.

Scarletrailgun: I've been waiting for it too. To be honest, I didn't even think about Zombieman getting stabbed until Hektols mentioned it, so go thank them :D

Ander Arias: Eh, I kinda had mixed feelings about this part. Might bring it up again some other time when the ship has gotten some distance. Oh, and yea, it has sailed.

TbagTheGreat: No biggy, I kinda got what you meant from the first review *cough* look at A/N *cough*.

FanficMation: I suppose everyone has it, just depends if they want to unlock it. Hopefully through the guidance of my far more experienced readers, and hopefully if my note taking finally works out, I can at least be adequate. Thanks!

TakatoMakino: I'm bringing this up again because I felt awkward replying with a review, and I can't find out how to delete it, stupid me. Yea, I'm gonna go back to writing *sigh*, it was getting annoying when I reread the story to remember where I left off. Dunno what part of me thought that was a good idea. I hope you can enjoy this one a bit more.

Phantom Renegade: Same as Takato's review, it felt weird to reply with a review.  
-Yea, as I mentioned, I really have to get around to fixing chapter 7. That is bugging me the more I look at it.  
-The shortening of repetitive names, I will keep in mind.  
-As mentioned, I'll start using *sigh* again.  
-The reason I have this section is because I want people to know I'm willing to learn, and I don't know why, but replying to the review with a PM is just... I find it weird, don't know how to explain it.  
-As I mentioned, I don't mind blunt reviews, they're great to learn from. I just don't like blatantly obvious flamers, because not only do they not help me to improve at all, I just feel if the person wasted their time reading the story if they hated it, and decided to waste more telling me that without telling me how to improve it.  
-Thank you for your recommendations.

The Observer: Eh, I kinda feel like there's quite a bit of OOC. But still, thank you, it's kinda relieving to know I did something right.

Guest: I'm assuming you're referring to how hard it is to follow the dialogue in the first half. Yea, that I apologise for, I really have to fix that soon.

Zane Alias: Money for shit? First time I heard it. Seriously though, thanks, but no thanks. This is more of a hobby, and I don't write good enough to get paid. Quite a few do deserve it though, say for example the stories mentioned below.

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

Threat level: Tornado: Wattpad

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad. Yes, it unfortunately includes many of the now forgotten stories.

* * *

Stories I've been trying to learn from, including the above.

Secter and Tatsumaki: Fanfiction

Love is like a blizzard: Fanfiction

Empty Heart, Meet Aching Heart: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

Flight of the Silverbird: Fanfiction

For The Love of a Favour: Fanfiction

Hit me Like a Truck: Fanfiction

Call me home: AO3

The Pain of me and you: AO3

Boundless more I should probably get around to taking notes from.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	21. Chapter 21: Preperations

He takes everything back. Emotions are definitely _that_ bad, especially since he can't seem to fucking sleep.

Honestly, he kind of expected it. He may have been able to keep the usual poker face, but that was most likely pure muscle memory. His heart however, it was racing the whole bloody day, and it threatened to pounce right out when he caught a glimpse of the SMS on Genos' phone, about how _'Onee-chan doesn't like the double date idea, but other than that she's quite willing.'_ God, what has he gotten himself into?

Saitama groaned as he rolled flat on his back. At this rate, he wouldn't get enough sleep, and god forbid if Tatsumaki wants a date when he doesn't have enough sleep. After all, he was only human, and lack of sleep can make him irritable. Or maybe it no longer does. It has, after all, been quite a while since he _couldn't fucking sleep._

He sits up, finally giving in to his thirst. He made his way into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Perhaps milk. Actually, definitely milk. This does mean another trip to the toilet, which means an inefficient use of water since he'd have to go again the next morning. Even though he doesn't actually have to pay rent, this does bug him to no end. He sighed before downing a cup of cold milk, and headed to the loos after dropping the cup into the sink.

He probably should have used less force because the instant he stepped out, Genos was there waiting for him. Saitama thought he was perhaps hallucinating, especially since he knows Genos does sleep, but the blonde's eyes were definitely glowing, the resulting glare in his eyes was too uncomfortable to be fake.

"What's up Genos?" he asks, as if not knowing the answer. Genos remains silent, though it's easy to tell from how the kid looked at him that he definitely knew. With that tiny frown, and the look in his eyes, there was no denying it, he was good at reading faces alright. Though, he never really was before... maybe it's just his returning emotions being far too obvious, despite his nonchalant tone.

"Sensei, if you are-" Genos hesitated, once again choosing a different word, "worried about dating Tatsumaki, you shouldn't be."

"Eh? I didn't say anything about that."

Genos' eyebrows furrowed. "Considering how fast your heart was beating when your footsteps were right behind me as I checked Fubuki's text, I daresay you did Sensei."

 _ **"Shit."**_ Saitama inwardly cursed. Genos was good alright, too good. "Sorry I peeked at your text dude, it was an accidental glance."

Genos shook his head. "Apologies Sensei, I didn't mean to sound mad about you looking over my shoulder. I'm more worried about your consistently fast heartbeat. Throughout the entire day, I noticed it has not slowed down, even before we went to sleep."

"Oh, that."

"I understand you might not have full control over your emotions Sensei, but I fear a rapidly beating heart can be detrimental to ones health, even-" The teen gulped, "even for one as amazing as you, Sensei."

Saitama's eyes widened in realisation. He slapped his forehead in frustration, realising it was probably the reason Genos woke up - if he was even sleeping at all - Saitama had what most people would consider a life threatening issue.

"Oh my god," he groaned, "I'm sorry I made you worry dude, but I'll be fine."

Genos doesn't let up though, and Saitama could once again see the irises scanning him. The blonde's frown grew, and Saitama had the sudden urge to lock himself in the bathroom. It was a foreign feeling, and one he was sure he didn't like.

"I should be the one apologising Sensei. I intruded on your privacy, and dared to think you were vulnerable. As your disciple, that was unacceptable of me."

"Dude, you're making this into a big deal. I really don't mind. Friends worry over each other after all."

Genos' eyes widen, and his frown all but disappeared. "Really Sensei? You consider me a friend?"

"Eh? Didn't I make that obvious?"

"If Sensei considers me a friend..." Genos considers it for a moment, "then would you mind if we talked about your date?"

"Oh." he so badly wants to finish with 'Shit', but he chose to go with a simple okay.

"Are you sure? You might lose sleep, and I don't want to waste Sensei's precious t-"

"I said okay dude." interrupted Saitama as he pushed past the blonde to get to the living room, Genos following behind.

The two sat down on the opposite ends of the table, Saitama slouched over, and Genos sitting seiza position.

"Alright, go ahead I guess." said Saitama, picking his nose.

"...Sensei, why are you so worried about this development? Most men would be ecstatic about a date, much less a date with Tatsumaki, what with her high-status."

Saitama sighs as he rests his chin on his hand. "Don't get me wrong dude, I am excited about this, hell, probably the most excited I've ever been, but you said it yourself. Tats is held in high regard, and I'm afraid I'll weigh her down. I feel like an ass just thinking about it."

Genos' frown returned. "But Sensei, you are an amazing person, how could you possibly weigh her down?"

The same crap from the talk he had with Tats earlier came flooding into his mind. The cafe, the meteor, the fish dude, all of it. It was infuriating remembering such things, and Genos seemed to pick up on it because the blonde's frown transformed into a scowl.

"Damn it. I should have incinerated them when I had the chance."

This time, it was Saitama's turn to frown. "What did I say about hurting people Genos? Besides I'm more worried about how Tats will be treated.' Saitama looks down to see his fist clenched at the thought of his... girlfriend, being insulted.

Genos' body glows a bit, making the scowling cyborg appear even more menacing than before. "In the end it is still their fault for causing Sensei to worry... no doubt I shall have to punish them." Saitama can't decide if he even wants to know who the blonde is referring to, though he could make a smart enough guess.

"You realise that as a hero, you can't do that right? And I'd have to stop you if you tried."

Genos stopped glowing at that, and he apologised for his behaviour. Saitama could only shake his head with a small smile.

"Well whatever happens, I'll deal with it. You don't gotta worry about it. Besides, don't you have other things to worry about?"

"Of course Saitama Sensei."

Saitama laid himself back, his hands propping him up. "You know, it's kinda funny all of this."

"In what way Sensei?"

A small smile appeared on the baldy's face. "I've never wanted fans when I started off, just thought that it would be nice to have a few recognise the work I do and appreciate it. And now, I somehow managed to get friends out of it..." Saitama's voice trailed off, and his mind seemed to be elsewhere.

"Sensei?"

Saitama promptly collapsed on his back, snoring away. Genos stared in disbelief, before letting out a light sigh. He picked up his sleeping Sensei and plopped him on the baldy's futon before returning to his own.

"Soon Sensei," Genos muttered to himself, "we'll have the world chanting your name. That I am sure of." And with that, Genos fell asleep, satisfied with Saitama's regular heartbeat.

* * *

It wasn't very surprising when Tatsumaki called the next day. It was, however, quite surprising when she called Genos, and was doing it with Fubuki's number.

"Oi cybo-" Fubuki interrupted Tatsumaki, her voice muffled in the background, "okay okay, Genos it is. God you two lovesick... anyway, Genos, where the hell is baldy?"

"Eh? Is that Tats?" asked Saitama, his mouth full. "And is she still calling me bald?"

"Saitama Sensei is having breakfast across the table." he replied curtly.

"Put me on speaker."

Genos did as he was told, and held the phone in the middle of the table.

"Damn it Baldy, don't you ever check your damn phone for texts, or are you regretting this already?" she barked, her grating voice a real pain in the cyborg's ears, though Saitama didn't seem affected.

"Oh, sorry T-" Saitama swallowed his mouthful with an audible gulp, "Sorry Tats, my phone ran out of battery and I didn't want to charge it.

There was nothing but Fubuki's giggling from the other side, and Genos could almost feel the petite ESPer's disapproving, probably disbelieving glare.

"You. Fucking. Cheapskate."

"Uh... sorry." Saitama started to stand, "I'll get right on it-"

"Hold on you idiot, I need to speak to you first."

The baldy sat back down, and Genos passed the cell to him, stating that he will find and charge Saitama's phone.

"Okay, first things first, tell Fubuki that you would never agree to a double date."

"What?"

"You heard me very clearly egghead, now do it!" Fubuki's whines of protests could be heard over the speaker, though her voice was still muffled.

"Uh... I would never go for a double date?" said Saitama.

"Ha! There, you have his word Imouto!" yelled Tatsumaki, and this time, a very clear 'That doesn't count!' could be heard.

Blinking, Saitama sighed. Truth be told, he probably wouldn't enjoy a double date either, and he would have just said so if Tatsumaki had told him what this was all about.

"So... anything else Tats?"

"Oh right, we're going on a date, JUST THE TWO OF US, this afternoon, so get yourself something fancy to wear, or else."

Saitama's eyes squinted in annoyance. "Can't I just wear a hoodie? Suits are really uncomfortable and they remind me of when I was job hunting."

Tatsumaki groaned from the other side. "The restaurant we're going to won't allow you in otherwise, so deal with it!"

"But you're, you know, you! Maybe you can get them to make an exception, or maybe we'll just go to a casual place."

"Ugh, are you serious right now?! We're going to go on a date and you want to argue about it?!"

"Well, you only deserve the best, and me in a suit is someone you really don't wanna date, you know what I mean?"

A very loud 'awww' could be heard, and the call was put on hold, presumably because Tatsumaki was chiding Fubuki. What Saitama didn't know was that Tatsumaki was actually trying to avoid being heard by anyone right now, especially since she blushed red at the Baldy's words, and was probably a lot more high pitched than she usually is. And while she had no doubt the egg was far too dense to notice, the cyborg certainly would, and if he decides to tease her about it, she'd risk tearing him apart. Oh, and she was chiding Fubuki.

When the call returned, the ESPer sighed. "Okay, fine." she grunted, "We'll have a casual date and you can wear a fucking hoodie. Just not the red and white one."

"I've got a few, which one?"

"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME!"

Saitama glanced inquisitively at Genos who pulled out his favourite 'oppai' hoodie from the laundry basket. The baldy let out a disappointed 'oh'. That hoodie was one of the first he bought during a sale, back when he earned his first paycheck. It was super fluffy from all the years of washing, and sure the design was what a lot of people would call ' _hideous_ ', but he always found it had a certain charm. The humour behind it was a lot more than just 'heheh, breasts', it reminded him to be nonchalant about life, and to not be a massive perv because hey, men have breasts too.

"Okay, not that one, promise." Saitama scratched his temple, "So where should we go?"

"Wha- why don't you have a place in mind! You made me cancel a reservation for a great restaurant because you didn't want to wear a suit and now you're telling me you don't have a plan b?! Stupid bald jerk!"

Saitama could hear both Genos and Fubuki giggling, and though he couldn't do anything about the woman, he glared at his disciple who muttered an apology.

"Sensei, I would recommend a simple meal in perhaps a cafe Tatsumaki wouldn't mind, a walk in a park, followed by a shopping trip, before you finish off with dinner and head home." suggested Genos, and Saitama gave him a small smile.

"Thanks dude, you're a lifesaver."

Tatsumaki only 'hmphed' in response. "Starting to really make me regret this, baldy! Fine, I'll meet you at your place at 12.30pm. Be ready, you stupid octopus!" and with that, the call was ended.

"*sigh*, I deserved that." Saitama handed the phone back to Genos, and finished what was left of breakfast. "How did you come up with that plan on the spot by the way?"

"I found on the internet that this is a good plan for a first date, and I intend on doing the same with Fubuki."

"So it's kinda like a double date but without the whole double couple trouble, right?" Saitama joked, laughing quite stupidly at his own horrible pun.

"Correct, Sensei." was Genos' curt reply. Not even signs of an iota of humour. Tough crowd.

Eventually, or to be more specifically, around 12.20pm, Saitama got himself into a shower, brushed his teeth twice, and was slipped into a hoodie with similar designs to his favourite, though yellow instead of red, and didn't have a design, along with some jeans. A simple outfit for a simple date. Genos even went through the trouble of repeatedly washing and heating the hoodie so it could be comfy. Though it could never match the natural fluff of washing over the years, it was good enough. Unfortunately, it was a bit tight thanks to the constant washing, but it'll do.

At exactly 12.30pm sharp, there was a knocking at the door. Saitama put on his shoes, and took a deep breath, telling himself it will be fine. Genos gave him a thumbs up, and to be honest, relieved him a bit. He was smiling because truth be told, if anyone ever told him he'd end up dating someone like Tatsumaki, he'd probably have punched them in the face for cursing him to be with a tsundere loli. How was he to know there'd be more to her than that? As he opened up the door, he couldn't stop his mouth from opening in shock to what stood before him.

* * *

On the other side of the call, Tatsumaki collapsed on the sofa, flinging the phone back to Fubuki, who still was unable to control herself. And who could blame her? Her sister, the great Tornado of Terror, S class Rank 2 and probably most feared women on the planet right after everyone's own mother, was blushing like she got drunk, and was undeniably adorable as fuck! Not that she'd ever admit it of course.

"Onee-chan, you should start getting ready! I could help you with your hair, your makeup and-"

"Forget it Imouto. If he wants a casual date, I'll give him a fucking casual date." Tatsumaki hopped off the cough, and began to make her way to her room.

"Well, if I'm not needed, I'm headed back to my place, that okay with you?"

"Yea sure." The door was slammed shut, and Fubuki giggled. So this was what a flustered Tatsumaki was like? How unoriginal. She expected something more like a shy opposite of her sister's usual self, but all she got was a tsundere. At least, she thinks she's using the term right.

At around 12pm, Tatsumaki was ready. Having bathed in her favourite shampoo, if only so it would help her last the day, tied her hair into a ponytail, and slipped into the outfit Fubuki helped her pick out. She didn't even have to bother with makeup! Yeah, she'd show him, that stupid baldy and his hatred of suits. He wants a casual date, he'll get one! She put on her heels and flew straight to city Z, arriving at 12.28pm.

Before she knocked, she checked again to make sure everything was in place. Of course, even if the baldy wanted a casual date, she still had standards. Besides, Saitama was the one who had fallen for her, so the least she could do was indulge him. Letting out a deep breath, Tatsumaki knocked at the door, 12.30pm sharp. There was some noise, probably Saitama failing to put on shoes, before the door was opened and... goddamn it Tatsumaki wasn't ready for this.

* * *

Saitama almost couldn't believe his eyes. Tatsumaki was in a simple hoodie, and a skirt, her hair done up in a ponytail and it looked like she didn't have any makeup on. Yet, Saitama couldn't help but think to himself how bloody adorable she looked. How the hell didn't he notice before? Was it her usual demeanour? The fact he had to keep his eyes off her legs all the time? Or maybe it was just the recent return of his feelings toying with him again. yea, that had to be it.

Tatsumaki on the other hand, was considerably shocked by the man that stood in front of her. For some reason, this hoodie of his wasn't as baggy, and it did one hell of a job showcasing his physique. She couldn't lie, he would put any bodybuilder to shame, and it helped that he wasn't shaped weird like others. Somehow, even his face seemed... handsome? Sure, he had his mouth open like a fish, but... damn, she noticed him being serious before, but in such a calm situation it was... weird.

"So uh... you look nice." Saitama finally pushed himself to say, rubbing his neck.

"Oh, uhm, thanks. You too?" Tatsumaki responded.

The two of them stood there awkwardly for a bit, avoiding eye contact, unsure of how to proceed. One was completely unaware he had to date the cutest girl he'd ever seen and had no idea what to do, the other realising a walking egg had suddenly transformed into a walking marble statue she was going to date. Then of course, Genos came running along, a wallet in his hand.

"Sensei, you forgot your wallet!"

That pulled Saitama out of his thoughts. "Eh? I thought I-" he reached into his pocket to find it completely empty, "oh, thanks Genos. You're a lifesa-what the heck?" The wallet had a fat wad of cash in it, and Saitama was sure he hadn't robbed a bank recently. Had he?

"Sensei, I have decided to assist in your date by providing you with sufficient cash to afford anything you deem worthy of gifting to Tatsumaki." the cyborg beamed, happy for his Sensei.

Tatsumaki coughed awkwardly, getting the attention of Saitama. "If you're done admiring your money, can we go? I have a place in mind."

"Oh, of course." Saitama waved goodbye to Genos, "See ya dude, I'll pay you back when I get my pay."

"No need Sensei!" Genos replied, his pleasant smile turning into a grin as the two walked away.

Little did Saitama know, the blonde had ensured the hoodie would fit tight enough to showcase his Sensei's muscles, and had picked the wallet when the wise man wasn't looking, stuffing it before pulling that act. Of course, this put some guilt on the cyborgs conscience, but to be perfectly fair, he had made sure that the hoodie would remain optimally comfy, and considering the amount his Sensei initially had, it was for the better. Now, it was about time he called Fubuki, she would definitely want to hear the story of how Tatsumaki stared at his Sensei's chest, and turned a little bit red.

* * *

Okay, so 3k words is shorter than what I wanted, but I'm still deciding how their date will go, and the choices I have so far will drag the chapter on for a few thousand more words, and a longer delay. Plus, I have maths homework and I'll get detention if I don't finish it, so my apologies.

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know, I've decided not to write smut, though there will still be the before and after, because I think it's kinda cute. Feel free to suggest otherwise, I won't mind. Also, I've decided to start rewriting chapter one, and sooner or later I'll have the new story out. I hope I don't seem cocky, I just want to fix the damn mistakes already, and waiting a lifetime for my writing to improve is gonna kill me whenever I look back at the trash from before.

Also, a story I thought died resurfaced, it's called 'Heroes and Lovers', and is one of the SaiTatsu stories that inspired me, though be warned, there is lemon. It got me thinking, all the dead stories with cool concepts like a real subterranean invasion, more SaiTatsu, even Saibuki stuff, do any of you guys feel like continuing them, or know the authors personally (though I doubt it), because how cool would it be if this part of the site was once again populated.

Anyway, I should get going. I want to thank all of you who have read, reviewed, followed and even favourited the story, and I apologise for the longer waits now. Let's just say the education system in Singapore is as bullshit as America, and if not for the exceptional human beings we call teachers, a lot of us would have gone insane, or worse. This story has been a great way for me to relieve stress, and all of you help in that too. So once again, I thank you all for your kind words, your helpful critique, and much more I'll eventually get around to thanking. Until the next chapter!

* * *

Zane Alias: Yosh!

Ander Arias: I'm on your favourites? Brb dying. I'm still debating really, it could go multiple ways. I think there's definitely something to be done with the totally not brain dead civilians. Thank you for your recommendation, I won't be sinning this lifetime.

Elfetrange: Fun, I shall have! I can't wait either, and I hope I don't write this into one of those cliche 'girl falls for sexy man hard' thing, because those stories annoy me. Please tell me if it seems to be going that way. While I wouldn't use the word 'perfect' to describe the writing, I thank you. To be honest, I don't seek perfection, what' the point to life if I attain it? I wish to better myself and hopefully, in time, I can.

Middle Name Redacted: Thanks for the advice. I'm glad you enjoyed this.

Hektols: #FraudCapedBaldy will trend, me thinks. It would be interesting indeed.

Scarletrailgun: Yea, cant wait. As to the kind of date, because of my numerous ideas, I can't promise either romantic or humourous, sorry.

0byZero: He could, but if he uses enough force to generate a shockwave with a freaking flick, it would be way more catastrophic than a light punch to knock someone out, IMO.

* * *

My inspirations:

The Bald and The Esper: Fanfiction

The Strongest Hero: Fanfiction

Icebreaker: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

Heroes and Lovers: Fanfiction

Threat level: Tornado: Wattpad

There is definitely more to the list, please let me know if you read anything similar! It could be from this here site, ArchiveOfOurOwn or Wattpad. Yes, it unfortunately includes many of the now forgotten stories.

* * *

Stories I've been trying to learn from, including the above.

Secter and Tatsumaki: Fanfiction

Love is like a blizzard: Fanfiction

Empty Heart, Meet Aching Heart: Fanfiction

An Odd Kind of Love: Fanfiction

Flight of the Silverbird: Fanfiction

For The Love of a Favour: Fanfiction

Hit me Like a Truck: Fanfiction

Call me home: AO3

The Pain of me and you: AO3

Boundless more I should probably get around to taking notes from.

* * *

The names given to the HoE's creations belong to "The Lone Lobster".


	22. Chapter 22: It's a date

The two of them were relatively silent as they flew, with Tatsumaki carrying Saitama by his clothes. To be perfectly fair, Saitama had no idea what he could say to Tatsumaki, and was just enjoying the sensation of the wind blowing past him. He wanted to ask her why she looked so bored, as if flying at least 200 meters in the air no longer excited her, if she got as bored as he did with the lack of any challenge from monsters, but some part of him wondered if that was even a good topic on your first date.

Eventually, they arrived in City D, landing in an alley. Saitama looked around curiously, wondering what they were doing in such a place when he realised Tatsumaki was already making her way out of it. He quickly caught up to her, tapping her on the shoulder.

"How come we landed here Tats?" he asked, slipping his hand back into the pocket of his hoodie.

"Because egghead, I don't want to get recognised." she replied irritatedly.

"Eh? Why not?"

"It's annoying when people fawn over me, believe it or not."

"You don't like it when people appreciate your hard work?" Saitama asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's... complicated."

"If you say so."

Tatsumaki sighed, muttering a soft 'thanks' to the baldy, who noted he should probably avoid that specific topic, maybe even ask Fubuki about it. When they were out of the alley, Saitama noticed a very familiar shop name, though he couldn't exactly remember where he had seen it before. It was only when he looked at the menu after having been sat at table in a quiet corner did he remember. The ridiculous name, the chocolate and vanilla cake, and the sky high price it was valued at finally made his head click and his eyes widen.

"I thought you'd never realise." said Tatsumaki as she picked up the menu.

"Why here?"

"I figured it would be appropriate. Plus, I like the food." Saitama chuckled, and Tatsumaki looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Something funny?"

"We're having a redo." The baldy snickered. "I thought this doesn't happen in real life."

"Neither did aliens until recently." replied Tatsumaki as she returned to her menu. "So what do you want egghead?"

Saitama hummed in response. "I guess I'll have the same as last time." he decided, grinning. Tatsumaki signaled for a waiter and quickly gave her the order, passing the menus back to the slightly dumbfounded girl.

"You're really going all out with the redo, aren't you?" the ESPer quipped.

"It's funny."

"It really isn't."

"Oh come on, even you must find something funny about this."

"Well... I guess I never thought I'd befriend you, much less date you when we first met. Especially with that chromedome of yours."

"Yeah well," Saitama smiled, "neither did I. Never did get along with girls very well."

"Pfft. Were you that hopeless?"

"Yeah, got dumped by my last girlfriend and everything."

Saitama's smile was smaller now, his eyes seemingly more down. Tatsumaki mentally facepalmed. Yea, this was a great start to their first date, talk about his ex. That's sure to liven up the mood.

"Right. Sorry." mumbled Tatsumaki as she rested her head on her fist.

"Don't be, it was kinda my fault she did anyway."

"I'm not feeling sorry for you cue ball, I'm apologising for bringing it up."

"I don't mind." replied Saitama, shrugging with an air of nonchalance.

A few minutes later, the food arrived, and the two dug in. The silence was unnerving for Tatsumaki, as she repeatedly glanced at Saitama who looked like he was either appreciating the cake or off in la la land. Finally she had enough and poked the man with her levitating fork.

"Look, I'm sorry I brought it up okay? Are you going to say anything or do you want to go home and reminisce?" snapped the ESPer

Saitama blinked before he apologised as he scratched his neck. "I was just thinking of what to say, and I tried to remember what Nozomi always did and... sorry Tats."

"...So her name is Nozomi?" asked Tatsumaki with her eyebrow raised.

"Huh? You really want to talk about her?"

"You got any better ideas?"

After thinking about it for a few seconds, Saitama shook his head and sighed. "Are you really sure you don't mind?"

"Well," Tatsumaki shrugged, "if we're going to start a relationship, we might as well see what went wrong last time."

"Oh, alright then. It's kinda a long story though, and I can't limit it to-"

"From the beginning, you melon."

* * *

"Sorry, we don't think you're cut out for this."

The interviewee sighed as he stood up, thanking the three interviewers before he left the room in defeat. This was his 6th interview, and if he didn't get a job soon, he'll be left starving on the streets.

"Oh well. I'll leave tomorrow's problem to tomorrow's me." mumbled the raven haired male as he turned towards the exit, when the door behind him opened up, and a woman with flowing hazel hair in a suit and skirt walked out with her shoulders slumped.

"Bad luck?" asked the man, causing the female to sigh as she turned to face him, revealing her jet black eyes.

She sighed in defeat, nodding her head. "Yeah. You too?"

"Yup. The standards are just so high now."

"Almost as high as these douchebags are high and mighty." joked the woman, and they both laughed weakly.

"Hey, at least you have the character they look for." said the male, "Meanwhile I'm going to end up on the streets if I don't pay the rent."

"That bad?"

"Mhm."

The woman put her hand to her chin, thinking. "I might be crazy since you're basically a stranger, but you wanna rent out my spare room?"

"Huh?"

"My previous tenant was hell. You seem like a quiet kinda guy, what do you think?"

"Eh, I'm not sure if I could afford it." lamented the male.

"Nonsense! My conditions are very reasonable. In fact, we can go view it now!"

"I... guess there's no harm. Is it below 1000 yen a month?" he asked, interest in his voice.

"Depends how frugal you are and if you're willing to do your fair share of housework."

The man smiled. "Frugal I can do, and I don't mind doing the groceries."

The woman smiled back. "Good thing I hate groceries with a passion then! Name's Nozomi, you?" she asked with her hand outstretched.

"Saitama." he answered as he shook her hand, his hazel eyes regaining life. "Nice to meet you."

The two quickly became friends, having bonded over their mutual love for anime and manga. They had a system where Saitama did all the groceries, since he had a godly ability to get everything dirt cheap, while Nozomi did all the housework, since it surprisingly relaxed her. Eventually, Nozomi got a job at a company while Saitama continued doing odd jobs.

One day about a year into their friendship, Nozomi was invited back to her school for a Christmas party, and one of her 'gal pals' insisted that she bring her flatmate whom they've never met as well. When asked why, all she said was that everyone would like to meet this new friend. Saitama agreed quite quickly when he heard there would be free food, something Nozomi found to be one hell of a bargaining chip.

The two never suspected a thing when everyone was giggling once they arrived, whispering to each other. It was only at the end when someone hung a mistletoe over the two did they realise Nozomi's friends were trying to set them both up since she was literally the only one without a relationship. Whether it was peer pressure or what, Saitama wouldn't know, as his thinking process was halted by a peck on his cheek from Nozomi.

Much to his surprise, it wasn't peer pressure, and the two were officially in a relationship. For some time, Saitama was happy, until the faithful day came. He returned home all battered up, and gave his girlfriend quite a scare. As she carefully tended to his wounds, he told her about how he decided he would become a hero. She was very supportive at first, talking about how he'll be just like the ones in the manga. He kept doing odd jobs as he trained, although each day got more and more tiring.

Eventually, he stopped looking for jobs as Nozomi was promoted, and insisted on providing for the both of them, if only so Saitama wouldn't end up killing himself. But then, when he finally felt stronger, and when the training felt easier, he woke up to find quite a bit of his hair fallen off. Nozomi had joked about it, how he literally trained till his hair fell out, yet he found his laugh to be more instinctual than anything. Soon, he started to get less and less sensitive, as each day he returned, he was less and less scathed, and each fight lasted far shorter. Nozomi had asked him what was wrong, but he only shook his head.

Unfortunately, things ended badly when he returned sulking after the 10th day of one punching some monster. Nozomi was trying to comfort him, but he just didn't feel anything. He asked his girlfriend what this would eventually mean, and the two came to the simple conclusion that this couldn't go on, and they split. It could have been worse really. Nozomi was still okay with being his friend and flatmate, but after a while, it got awkward, and Saitama had to find a new place. He picked a flat in the abandoned part of City Z, as rent was literally non-existent.

On the day when he finally finished moving, Nozomi gave him one last kiss before passing him some cash to keep himself alive until he could once again find another job. On the day he became bald, he decided to give Nozomi a visit in the costume the old tailor had made for him. He told Nozomi that one day he'd pay her back for all she had done, and the woman only shook her head.

"It's alright Sai. You were one hell of a friend, that itself is enough." Nozomi looked at his shining scalp, and giggled. "Perfect timing actually."

She ran off into her room, while Saitama sat there scratching his temple. After a minute of what seemed like Nozomi looking for something, she returned with a pot in her hands, a tiny cactus rested in it. She passed it to Saitama who looked at it curiously.

"Consider it a reminder of our friendship. Don't forget to call me once in a while, okay pal?"

Saitama smiled weakly. "Yeah."

* * *

"That was about a year and a half into my training. I have to admit, even now I kinda miss her." said Saitama with a sad smile on his face.

"You don't stay in touch?" asked Tatsumaki.

"Nah, her number changed, and she moved houses. I don't know where she is now, but hopefully she's happy." Saitama finished what was left of his tea, sighing. "But hey, I get another chance with you, don't I? Just have to make sure I don't screw up again."

"...If it helps, I don't think you'll screw up."

Saitama chuckled. "Thanks Tats. I know people don't like their partners talking about exes, and I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

Tatsumaki crossed her arms with a smug smile. "Hmph. I'm an adult egghead. Only insecure teenagers worry about their lovers eloping with an ex." she boasted.

With a smile, Saitama called for the waiter, and paid for the bill with the cash Genos gave him, getting a discount with his S Class card. Before they left though, the waiter asked Tatsumaki if she could have her autograph and that she promised not to say a word about the 'Caped Terror' ship sailing. The two of them left the cafe confused and amused.

"What the hell did she mean by 'The SS Caped Terror has sailed.'?" Tatsumaki asked Saitama, who only snorted in response. "What?"

"Don't worry about it Tats. Where do you want to go next?"

Tatsumaki glared at the baldy, before she shook her head. She'd just have to look it up at home. "I don't really like parks, definitely NOT shopping... I don't know."

"Oh!" exclaimed Saitama, tapping the ESPer's shoulder. "How about a carnival?"

"What?" Tatsumaki looked up to see Saitama pointing at a poster advertising a carnival in City M.

"It's been a while since I could afford a trip to a carnival. I think I remember it being kinda fun."

"Fine. But if you make a single joke about my height, I'll crush you with their rides."

The two of them rushed to City M because Saitama didn't want a long wait in line, despite Tatsumaki telling him not to. When they arrived, Saitama was disappointed to find that just as he expected, the line was extremely long. As he was about to queue up, Tatsumaki stopped him. She pulled her S Class card along with Saitama's and handed it to the guy controlling the queue. He stared at it for a second before hurriedly passing them both a ticket that looked different from what others got.

"S Class privileges, remember? The card not only gives us discounts for essentials, it allows us to have priority access to entertainment services such as carnivals, arcades, movies even." explained the ESPer when Saitama threw her a curious glance.

"Oh, that's cool. So where first?"

"I... don't know. Never been to a carnival before."

"Really?"

"Well..." Tatsumaki hesitated, "only for the candied apples." When Saitama didn't respond, she huffed in frustration. "I swear if you call me childish-"

"Nah, I totally understand. It's kinda like how I go out of my way to a specific supermarket for something the one in City Z doesn't sell."

"Oh." deadpanned the ESPer. "Anyway, since you have experience, you lead."

After cutting the queues to quite a few rides, they eventually covered most of the carnival in about 2 hours thanks to the lack of waiting in line. By the end of it all, Tatsumaki looked a lot less alive. To be fair, all the normally 'exhilarating' rides were boring to her since she already jumped out of planes and flies around way beyond the speed of sound. Any rides that were in close proximity of screaming children only gave her a small headache as she winced at every shriek.

It didn't help that every once in a while, someone with a brain saw through her disguise and asked for an autograph, attracting the attention of those nearby. At one point, she had to threaten them all to leave her alone, since the crowd was so overwhelming. Surprisingly, no one commented about the alleged S Class fraud 'Caped Baldy' trailing beside her, occasionally asking 'Tats' if she was okay.

Saitama caught on very quickly of course, but the ESPer insisted they continue because they had nothing else to do. When they finally got off the ride, Saitama pulled her along to where all the snacks were being sold, buying them a candied apple each, along with a drink. Now he was feeling kind of bad for suggesting the carnival in the first place, since his girlfriend looked ready to go home more than anything. But they still had one more ride to go, and he quietly told her to follow him so as to not worsen her headache.

Squirming through the crowd, they eventually reached the Ferris wheel, and by once again cutting the line, they entered one of the passenger cars sat themselves down. When the ride started moving, Tatsumaki groaned. It was far slower than she imagined it would be. Saitama chuckled when she complained about it.

"Hey Tats, how about I give you a massage?"

"You know how to?"

"Yea, it was one of my odd jobs. It's easy."

Tatsumaki grunted in response, closing her eyes. Maybe it was her headache, but she really didn't give a damn about Saitama touching her. She had to admit though, he _was_ good. It didn't take very long for the massage to start having an effect, and she could feel her headache melt away. Saitama only stopped applying pressure when Tatsumaki hummed in content.

"Better?" he asked.

"So you aren't useless after all." she responded as she opened her eyes.

"I guess so." the baldy laughed weakly as he laid back. "By the way, sorry for dragging you here."

" ***sigh*** , It's fine." They stayed silent for a while when Saitama nudged Tatsumaki.

"You hate crowds?"

"Yeah."

"Does it have something to do with your powers?"

"Sort of." Tatsumaki shrugged. "I have to concentrate to keep my powers under control. Plus, I think a lot. Too much noise kind of clutters my mind."

"Oh. So kinda like how loud noises make Superman flinch?"

"What the hell is a Superman?" Tatsumaki asked.

Saitama only shook his head in disbelief. "Nevermind."

When the Ferris wheel reached the halfway point and stopped in mid air, Saitama poked Tatsumaki again. "Do you ever get bored because of your powers?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I noticed earlier when you flew us to City D that you looked bored, when most people would get pretty excited at being like, 200 meters in the air." Saitama scratched his temple. "It reminded me of how bored I got when I couldn't find a challenge is all." he said as he downed his drink.

"I guess it has gotten quite boring." mumbled Tatsumaki. "Doesn't mean I can stop doing it though, does it? I mean, I got these amazing powers, might as well use them to protect the world, right?"

Saitama smiled. "Yeah." He turned to face Tatsumaki. "Anyone ever tell you how heroic that makes you sound?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, using your time doing something you don't enjoy for the good of others."

The ESPer raised an eyebrow. "You do the same thing though?"

Saitama only shook his head. "I became a hero for fun Tats. Because I thought it would be cool to be like those on television. You" he gestured to her "on the other hand, decided to help people. There's a big difference between doing it for oneself and doing it for others."

"I thought you said you don't enjoy it anymore?"

"But I used to. Even now, I'm doing this because I hope sooner or later I find something challenging." Saitama sighed. "I wouldn't call that heroic."

Tatsumaki nodded her head solemnly. It sounded logical, unfortunately. Somehow the baldy was right. When you put it that way, he really didn't sound very heroic. And yet, there was an arguement to be made that he was the walking definition of a hero, not just his strength, but his... Oh, of course.

"I call bullshit, baldy."

"Huh?"

"Listen light bulb, there is more than one way to be a hero and I don't think you realise how much of one you are. The way you so easily let others take your credit, the way you threw your dignity away, just so those idiots preserved their face," Tatsumaki didn't realise her hand was now on Saitama's, "because you didn't want the public to lose faith in the heroes, that is in its own way heroic. I can honestly say no one I know could possibly do that, even if they wanted to." The ESPer stared at the floor. "Not even me."

Saitama stared at her in silence, before he chuckled. "Don't sell yourself _short_ Tats. You got pretty mad when I gave you the credit for that purple Piccolo, remember?"

"What the hell is a pi- HEY! I SAID NO JOKES ABOUT MY HEIGHT!" yelled Tatsumaki as she punched Saitama's shoulders, completely forgetting how ineffective that would be.

"Just trying to lighten up the mood. Won't happen again, promise."

"Hmph!" Tatsumaki pouted, "It better not."

The ride ended far too soon afterwards, and the couple found themselves with nothing to do an hour and a half to dinner. They were discussing what to do when suddenly a loud explosion occurred nearby, along with the terrified screams of civilians.

 _"MUMEN RIDER IS DOWN!"_

 _"SOMEONE CALL A HERO!"_

 _"WE'RE SCREWED!"_

 _"I DON'T WANNA DIE!"_

Saitama bolted towards the explosion the moment he heard 'Mumen', and arrived just in time to grab the hero right as the monster's fist came crashing down on him. He turned to punch the creature when it was suddenly lifted into the air.

"NOT IN THE CROWD CAPED BALDY! VAPORISE IT NOW!" Commanded Tatsumaki.

Saitama winced at his hero name as he jumped into the air. Pulling his fist back with a bit more strength and focus, he did exactly that, vaporising the monster into nothing but air like it never existed. He landed unceremoniously on the ground, sighing at the easy win.

"You alright Mumen?" He asked the C Class hero groaning in pain.

"Yeah." he responded weakly as Saitama helped him on his feet. "Crud, she is so gonna worry."

Saitama raised an eyebrow but chose not to comment.

Cheers erupted from the crowd, once again thanking 'Tornado of Terror' for saving them. The heroine scowled as the loud voices reached her head. They still believed she saved them despite her telling Caped Baldy to kill the monster.

"IDIOTS! CAPED BALDY KILLED THE MONSTER, NOT ME! USE YOUR DAMN EYES FOR ONCE!" yelled the ESPer

The silence of the crowd was short lived, as everyone started whispering.

 _"Caped Baldy?"_

 _"The fraud?"_

 _"Isn't he the one who stole her credit? Why is she trying to help him?"_

It took all of Tatsumaki's patience not to fling everyone into space as she flew down to where Saitama stood. Unfortunately, one brave soul decided to voice his thoughts, testing the ESPer.

 _"Miss Tornado! Why are you helping him? He's a fake! He stole other heroes' credit! He doesn't deserve to be even C class!"_ The man was promptly lifted into the air, causing him to squirm in panic.

"CAPED BALDY IS NOT A FUCKING FAKE!" exploded Tatsumaki. "THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE YET TO REALISE IT PROVES TO ME HOW MUCH OF A WASTE OF OXYGEN YOU ALL ARE! THE NEXT PERSON WHO DARES INSINUATE I'D BE DUMB ENOUGH TO HELP A FRAUD LIKE THOSE TANK TOP IMBECILES, WILL TASTE THE SUN! THAT IS A PROMISE!" she threatened as she flung the poor bastard, who by now has pissed his pants, straight into the crowd and on the ground.

Somehow, a few in the crowd still found the courage to speak, and though they were only murmurs, it didn't take a genius to tell they weren't anything good. Saitama held on to his girlfriend by her hand just in case she lost it, when to both of their surprise, Mumen spoke up.

"I too vouch for Caped Baldy!" the C Class hero said, his voice strong despite his injuries. "He is a good man, and a great hero, as well as someone I'd happily call friend. I don't like it when you drag his name through the mud so please, apologise and never do it again! Show him the respect he deserves!"

The crowd went silent as Saitama patted Mumen's shoulder. "Forget it dude, I don't care what they say."

"But others do! I couldn't change their minds before, but with Miss Tornado's word too, I'm sure we can fix their opinion of you!" Tatsumaki nodded in agreement.

 _"If Mumen says he's a good guy, I believe him!"_ a boy in blue attire and a yellow hat suddenly cheered.

 _"Yeah! Demon Cyborg calls him Sensei, and says he's great too!"_ a girl in a red and white striped shirt and blue skirt followed suit.

Motivated by the children, the crowd slowly started cheering for Caped Baldy, and though most still had disdain in their voice, a few were genuinely grateful and were enough to put a small smile on the bewildered baldy's face.

"Saitama," said Tatsumaki as she tugged at his sleeve, "Come on. We should get him to a hospital. After that we can have dinner or something."

 _ **"Dinner?"**_ Mumen grinned inwardly. "Hey, don't let me interrupt whatever you two are busy with. An ambulance should be here soon."

"You sure?" Saitama asked, and Mumen nodded.

The Caped Baldy shrugged as he began to walk, gesturing for Tatsumaki to follow him. As they got further and further, the cheering of the crowd died down, replaced by the wailing sirens of an arriving ambulance.

"So... another cafe?" Saitama asked, the ESPer shaking her head in response.

"After that crap, the public is the last thing I want to see. You know of a quiet place?"

Saitama put his hand to his chin, thinking. "Oh! The udon place I like is usually quiet at this time, we could go there."

And so they did. Though as it was still early, Tatsumaki only had a plate of gyoza, while Saitama could only take the small bowl of udon. Like Saitama said, it was quiet, and Tatsumaki welcomed the quiet. The only sounds were the chef cooking and Saitama busy slurping. Plus, the gyoza was surprisingly good. She'd have to keep this place in mind the next time she's too ticked off for the noise of a cafe.

Credit where credit's due, Saitama was eating at a noticeably slower pace, and the slurps weren't really that loud compared to the few times she's eaten with him before. And not even once did Tatsumaki hear the annoying sound of utensils hitting each other or the bowl. The Baldy knew what he was doing, and she had to admit, it was weird. Nonchalant could no longer be used to describe Saitama, and she wasn't sure she liked that very much. What is he asked about her past? Decided to talk or something? Sure she accepted him as a boyfriend but... can she really trust him? True, she may have told him already when she got drunk, but there was more to it. More she couldn't reveal. Is that normal for couples? Keeping secrets?

Saitama noticed the worry on Tatsumaki's face as she was deep in thought, and he wondered if he should bother her. Couples did that right? Share their worries? He just couldn't remember if it was right to prod or not. He downed the remaining of the broth, and decided fuck it.

"Tats? Is something wrong?" He asked softly.

"Huh? N-nothing cue ball. Nothing's wrong."

"Alright. If there's anything, tell me, okay?"

 _ **"Damn it, now he's observant too?"**_ the ESPer cursed to herself. "Yea yea, whatever."

Saitama managed to pull off his simple smile despite his thoughts. "Today was nice Tats. Thanks."

"Yeah, sure."

 _ **"Not up for talking I guess."**_ Saitama thought. "Want me to walk you home?"

"It'll be faster if I just fly home myself."

"Oh, alright."

They both stood up, and Saitama passed the cash to the chef as he walked Tatsumaki out. Today was good to say the least, and Saitama was already looking forward to the next time they meet. This however didn't prevent him from noting his girlfriend deep in thought, absolutely ignorant to everything else.

"Tats?"

"What is it?"

"Thanks."

Tatsumaki stared at Saitama in silence for a second before clicking her tongue. "You thanked me already idiot."

"That was for today. Now I'm thanking you for everything else."

"What?"

"It's nice to be able to feel again." The silence was back, though it wasn't accompanied by any awkwardness. It actually felt... comfortable.

"... See you next time Saitama."

The baldy chuckled. "You know, I kinda like it when you just call me by my name."

"Keep dreaming." She replied flatly as she flew off.

 _ **"Well... I'd call that a success."**_ Saitama thought to himself as he took a deep breath and ran home. Maybe Genos would be back by now and they can chat about their respective dates.

* * *

Goddamn it this was painful.

Hey, sorry for the long wait guys. Deciding on what I wanted for the date and trying not to make it sound fake was a lot harder than I thought, and there were some things I put in here I never planned before, and just had the idea spring in. Doesn't help that I've got so much to distract me in the form of studies and entertainment. (So many fandoms...)

So here's the thing: I have no idea how Saitama with emotions is like, and I'm basing this off his "If it doesn't affect me I don't really bother about it" attitude, along with what I've been told is normal for 'nicer' people. So here. Tell me if it sounds a bit too... cheesy.

Anyway, hopefully this was worth the wait. I should bugger off now, I've been told A/Ns shouldn't be too long.

* * *

Scarletrailgun: They are cute, don't know why so little people ship them to be honest. Probably because of a certain blondie. So uh, here you go, date.

0ByZero: Pretty much decided to do-

Hektols: I actually wanted to do this, but it was hard making it work in my head, so here's this instead. Hope it's good.

thetalkingwave: Glad you think so!

Elfetrange: That's good to know. It's a thin line and it's hard sometimes to know when you've stepped too far away or into it. Believe it or not, I do have a lot of ideas, and I can definitely say as long as no tragic accident happens, I can write on and on and beyond into the next generation stuff if I really wanted to. So here's the date, hopefully you and the rest like it.

guest: It was Geryuganshoop actually, and I'm guessing I wasn't clear enough. He shot some metal thing at Fubuki which got blocked by Genos. Hopefully that clears it up.

Gue-Ander Arias: Taste of his own medicine, definitely. And bugger, I really thought that was a thing because of primal instincts. Sorry. And yea, I definitely plan on it being more than just 'Oh look, muscle man". God help me if I go that route, I'll never get a girlfriend myself. So here's the date, Ima just bugger off now.

* * *

Credits can be found on previous chapters. This bottom section has gotten a bit long actually. Stories that inspired this and more can be found on my favourite list if you want to check them out. Or just do it the old fashioned way of browsing.


	23. Chapter 23: His Majesty

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence again, King-san!"

The Strongest Man on Earth, King. A tall blonde whose scarred face alone strikes fear into even dragon level threats. They say no monster can ever hope to match his level, and that even the sound of the "King Engine" fully unleashed will slay them. The S class hero was currently sweating bullets as he walked out the game store, clutching a plastic bag in his hands.

Donning a hoodie, the man walked quickly, hoping to get past the crowd, for in his hands he held a most valuable item. Unfortunately for him, life had other plans, as citizens started screaming in terror, for an ugly lizard man began to terrorise everyone, specifically the women, making lewd comments involving his tongue. As King neared the creature, he removed his cap, the hoodie falling back.

The creature's eyes bulged in terror as he turned to face the hero. "WHOA! YOU SCARED ME, WHO ARE YOU!"

A loud rumbling came from King, and the monster started to cower, as an aura of killing intent grazed his skin. The sound got louder, and the blank stare of the hero only continued to further terrify the monster. The crowd quickly took notice of the source of the sound, and it didn't take long for all of them to identify the S Class hero. By the time the monster surrendered, the crowd had almost doubled in size, and only a lucky few were able to see him up close, as the S Class made his way through the crowd.

"Phew, it's a good thing we came early, huh Genos?"

"Yes Sensei. Once again, your wisdom falls through."

Saitama and Genos were walking home from City M's supermarket with three filled plastic bags and a box of sea vegetables. There was a huge sale on a variety of product, and Saitama couldn't help but pull himself and his companion to the city an hour before opening time. Good thing too, because there was already a crowd when they got there.

"Man, think of all the stuff we could cook. What do you think we should have for breakfast Genos?" When the blonde didn't reply, Saitama turned around, "Genos?" Seeing his friend intently studying something, he followed his gaze, and laid eyes on a tall blonde with three scars on his left eye.

"Sensei," Genos finally said, "that is S Class Rank 7, King-san."

"Who?"

"He was at the meeting Sensei, as well as the spa. He has taken your place as _the strongest man_." Genos remarked. The air quotes audible as he spat out the last three words.

"Really?" Saitama raised his eyebrow. Strange that he holds such a title, especially since he can't really feel anything from the guy.

It was then cries rang out about another monster, catching the attention of the duo.

"A monster? Sensei, we shoul-no. This is a good opportunity to see King in action. Let us watch."

"I dunno Genos," Saitama stated, "I'm kinda itching to fight that." he pointed towards the direction of the monster. A large robot decorated with enough jewelry to make a pimp look frugal, as if the shiny metal it was made on wasn't enough.

"I am G4. A machine god created by the organisation." The machine announced. "You are the strongest man, King. I will obliterate you."

Hearing the name King, the crowd visibly relaxed, as everyone cheered about how they were saved, and that there was nothing to worry about. The King Engine came to life as the hero kept his head down, and his grip on the plastic bag tightened.

"Organisation? And you know I am the S Class Rank 7 hero, the strongest man on earth?" King asked, as if trying to confirm the robot's stupidity for challenging a man of his caliber.

 ** _"Organisation? Could it be?..."_** Genos furrowed his brow, now regretting he didn't rush in for the kill immediately.

The robot reached behind its back and pulled out a blade, the wind from the sudden movement blowing King's cap off. "I said I came to KILL YOU." The robot exclaimed. "This is a test of my combat A.I! I must have data, so you will fight me with your full strength!"

King stayed silent, yet the rumbling of his engine only got louder. "Fine." he finally said, "But first, let me use the john." The hero finally looked the robot in the eye without even a hint of urgency bar the King Engine, as his hands stayed tucked in his hoodie pockets. "When nature calls, I cannot fight at full strength. That can't be good for your data, can it?"

G4 considered this for a second, before sheathing his sword. "I will give you ten minutes. Every minute you are late, 10 civilians die. If you run, this town is finished." As King walked off, Saitama and Genos poked their outs out from behind the pole.

"That monster looks tough." Saitama commented.

"I detect high energy levels Sensei. It may even be beyond my strength, despite Doctor Kuseno's modifications. I estimate it to be threat level demon."

"Well, that strongest guy on earth should take it down easily. But we should be ready in case he's taking a shit."

"Of course Sensei." Genos replied, as his core powered up with a loud whirring.

Meanwhile, in a public restroom stall, the strongest man on earth was indeed shitting. Shitting himself in fact, though metaphorically.

"It... wants to kill me?" he asked no one in particular, before bursting into a hybrid of desperate laughing and crying. The King engine got louder. _**"HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?! Scared... I'M SO SCARED!**_ ** _"_** , louder, **_"I'M NOT STRONG, I'M A 29 YEAR OLD, UNEMPLOYED, ANTISOCIAL OTAKU LOSER!"_** , louder still, **_"_** ** _I'M SUCH A COWARD I'M A TOTAL OF TWO, NO, DOZENS OF PEOPLE! MY HEARTBEAT IS AUDIBLE FOR FUCKS SAKE! KING ENGINE, WHAT ARE THEY, STUPID?"_** , it got so loud, the walls practically vibrated, or maybe that's just King's vision being affected by how much he's shaking.

For you see, this is no mere hero. This is a fake hero. King just happened to be next to a demon to dragon monster, screaming like a little baby, when it got killed while his eyes were closed. By chance, this happened five times, and it ended up with the association sending him an S Class certificate along with praise about how his deeds were appreciated, and how he is the strongest man on earth, just like that.

King felt like vomiting. In fact, he was sure he could taste bile as he brought his hand up to his mouth, trying to steady himself on the wall. His whole body trembled as he gasped for air, breathing getting harder by the millisecond.

 ** _"MY NAME WON'T INTIMIDATE A ROBOT! I'M GOING TO DIE!"_** he thought to himself, as his heart continued pounding. _**"MY HEART'S GOING TO BURST!"**_ He screamed, internally and audibly. He let out a gasp as it struck 11 minutes, and a loud whoosh could be heard, as if a giant sword cut through the air with unimaginable force. **_"OH GOD, IT'S STARTED!"_** the man panicked, placing both his hands on the wall now, as his legs caved in and he landed on his knees. **_"Ten people every minute... I'm sorry."_** The sounds of a slaughter continued. _**"I'm so sorry!"**_

He tried to think, think of a way to deal with the robot without costing him his life, just like he did every other 'battle'. A lightbulb went off in his head, but it was crushed just as quickly. "It's two minutes on foot from here to the robot..." King said to himself, still sweating profusely. "Can I run?..."

As explosions rang off in the distance, a man in a blue hoodie could be seen bolting away at an impressive speed, as he apologised again to those he failed to protect in his head.

Back at the battle, G4 swung his sword at the first civilian he saw, some poor soul who dropped his groceries, walking up to him to accept his death. Or so he thought, as the blonde caught the blade, and shattered it with a punch. G4 watched in shock as what it realised now was a cyborg charged his fist, sending a rocket punch straight into its eye, sending it flying onto the ground with a crash.

"Oh cool, a rocket punch?" Saitama asked as the resulting shockwave shook him a little, his grip on the groceries tightening.

G4 was not down however, as thrusters on its back launched it back up, with his foot aimed right at Genos. The blonde managed to push the immense weight off of himself, as Saitama asked if he needed any assistance.

"No." He confidently stated, despite cracks appearing on his face, "Your assignment was for me to reach the top ten of S Class," Genos explained, as he launched himself through the foot of the 'Machine God'. "AND THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY!" he exclaimed, as he sent multiple punches to his opponent. "I must defeat it on my own!"

"Oh. Don't lose then." Saitama encouraged, before walking off as the sirens accompanying the Hero Association's warning sounded.

* * *

King slammed the door to his apartment, as he tried to catch his breath after running the whole way home. _**"Made it home in one piece..."**_ he thought, **_"That robot will haunt my dreams..."_** His eyes once again caught sight of his console, and he walked over to it, picking up a controller in hopes of forgetting everything through the paradise that is a dating sim game.

 _"Wake up big boy! It's morning!"_

"What's with that voice actress? So Stiff!" He complained. "I need to name my character huh... not my real name, that's too embarrassing for a 29 year old..."

"Just use King."

"No, not my hero name. If someone saw them call me 'Big Boy King', I would die from-" Realisation dawned on him, and he turned around to face the mysterious voice, and found a bald man hunched over him with a blank stare and a dumb smile. **_"Huh? Who's this guy? What's he doing here?"_**

"Your window was open." The bald simply stated.

"This is the 22nd floor..." King started sweating again, his heart once again thumping. "Y-you can't just come in here uninvited!" He shouted as he stood up wobbling. "D-Don't you know I'm an S Class hero?"

"You're King right?"

King let out a gasp as he recognised that bald head. _**"He's the new guy..."**_

"Uhm... It's kinda surprising you play these games."

King let out a squeal as his heart thumped louder, suddenly remembering what game he was playing thanks to the trash voice actress reminding the player to choose a name.

"Oh, what's this?" The baldy picked up another game disk cover. "It looks fun."

Worried that was another dating sim, King started to tremble. "No, plea-huh?!" As his eyes landed on the cover art, he felt relieved. "That's an action game!"

"Robots and stuff?"

"YES, YES!" King nodded, an idea springing forth. "I love action games! That's what I thought THIS game was! But it's a romance game?! I bought the wrong one!" he yelled as he threw the precious dating sim disc cover onto the floor.

"But it says 'Doki Doki Sisters'." The bored voice noted.

"WHAA?! I THOUGHT IT SAID WRATHFUL SHOOTERS!" King once again exclaimed, "THEY LIED TO ME! I'LL HAVE IT REFUNDED!" He quickly shut down his console, secretly grateful he hadn't yet started and no data was lost. "Better cut the power, wouldn't wanna waste electricity right?! Hah... how embarrassing, a 29 year old man buying a romance game, haha..."

"Let's play the other one."

"GOOD IDEA! THAT ONE's BETTE- huh?" King turned to face the baldy again. "You wanna play that?"

"Can't I? You've got time, right?"

"Uh, well..." King trailed off, utterly confused as to why someone with a rank far below his would act so casually around him, then he remembered rumours of him dating Tornado of freaking terror for gods sake. But weren't they just rumours?"

* * *

As Genos dodged another of G4's punches, he grabbed the giant's neck, pulling it backwards as it roared in frustration. His core powered up, tearing his jacket as he fired a fully charged "INCINERATE!"

Somersaulting off the robot, and once again doing a superhero landing, Genos stood up and watched in satisfaction as his opponent began melting, oozing molten metal from its crevices.

"I melted your internal framework so you couldn't move. Your big body was your downfall." Unfortunately, Genos quickly realised he shouldn't have celebrated his victory so soon, as a much smaller robot appeared from the corpse. **_"The pilot? Or its true form..."_**

All of a sudden, its head, shoulders and knees opened up to reveal holes from which what could only be explained as anime lasers shot out. Alerting the crowd, Genos dodged the lasers and prepared himself for battle against the tiny thing.

* * *

"Whoa King, you're good at this."

King was currently trashing whatever came his way in the video games, sipping at a carton of orange juice he somehow is holding onto by the straw alone, as his uninvited guest sat behind him watching in awe, another carton of juice in his own hands.

"Yea, I won a lot of tournaments in the past." King stated as he wondered why the guy was still here.

"Wow, strong in real life, and great in video games too!" The baldy pulled the straw out of his mouth. "Actually, I wanted to ask you, why did you run away earlier? Genos is fighting in your place."

Spitting out the juice, King could feel his hearth thump again as once more he sweated bullets.

"You're a super strong S Class hero, right? Why did you run from that robot?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, "You play video games, so why don't you take on the monster?" The thumping of King's heart was very audible now, "Or are you so strong you got bored of fighting?" There was a tone of accusation in the baldy's voice. "What are you thinking? Please... Tell me."

The sirens sounded, and another warning from the Hero's Association sounded. A threat level demon in the form of a giant bird apparently.

The baldy tilted his head to the side. "Another warning? There's a lot these days." He picked up his groceries. "Welp, I'm going. How about you? Not gonna do anything? I guess I can come later." But King couldn't respond. Not when he was staring right at a giant bird with sharp teeth on its beak, headed straight for his apartment. With a loud crash, the avian shook the entire building, as the infrastructure bended to its giant beak, which was being held back by the baldy's palm resting on it.

"Whoa, it flew straight to your place. It's like you attract monsters." The baldy stated, as the sun glared off his chromedome, having done its job of attracting the monster.

 _ **"I know, I've always been unlucky. But it's been getting worse..."** _ King quivered, _**"Is this punishment for my lies?"**_

"Well, now what?" The supposed fraud turned around, "It's in your apartment, so you gotta fight, right?" he asked the fraud.

 _ **"Please god, forgive me..."**_ pleaded the fraud, as his heart thumped on.

* * *

Genos dodged even more of the lasers, landing on a nearby electrical tower. He barely dodged more sent his way, as they tore trhough his jacket, the tower, and half of his right arm. Jumping off again, he clicked his tongue as he realised he'd have to somehow stop those lasers. Landing on the staircase of a flat, he tried to think of an solution when his scanners landed on one.

"COME DOWN." G4 commanded, "IT IS A FOOLISH WASTE OF TIME TO WORRY ABOUT BYSTANDERS," it said, misinterpreting Genos' intentions of bringing the fight away from where the crowd was running to, "I ONLY WANT KING!" it yelled as more lasers were launched towards the building.

Launching himself into the air, Genos flung the item straight into G4, who, as planned, destroyed it with more lasers, releasing the foam inside. The robot started fizzing out as the foam of the fire extinguisher covered his body, blocking the lasers.

"Why you-" G4 noticed the blonde cyborg ripping out the plug of a water outlet, firing at the gush of water. "Steam?" A line came from within the cloud, cathing G4 off guard as it entangled the robot. With a grunt, G4 was pulled into the steam. "How dare you!" It exclaimed, readying its lasers, "This will never-"

"Don't bother." Genos coldly interrupted, as the lasers did nothing. "Moisture disperses light. You want King," Genos dragged G4 closer to him, "but I know someone stronger." He clenched his fist, charging it, "And I, am stronger than you."

* * *

As his life flashed before his eyes, King could only think of what lead him here. All those times he was near a monster when it was taken down, all the praise the people and the association sang. The fact that he was named King, as a reminder of his heroism and his strength... what a joke. It was all just a mistake, but because there was money, he never said a thing. The King the people cried for, the King the people look up to, he wasn't him. That King was somewhere.

His heart pounded, and he started tearing up. **_"I_ _have to say it. I have to! If I don't... I'll die!"_ **King gulped. "The truth is-" The bird screeched, and King screamed too, as rubble flew past him. The bird was closing in, and all he heard was a loud sound. **_"That guy... I wasn't strong enough to save him. Why didn't he run? It was threat level demon! All because I was to slow to speak up... forgive me..."_ **The fraud glanced up, and he couldn't believe what he saw.

The bald man's silhouette was the first thing that came to sight, and as his eyes adjusted to the light, he realised he wasn't hurt. In fact, only some stray feathers and a blood spatter on the bald told him he wasn't dreaming.

"Is it true that your strength, and history are fake?" The bald calmly asked.

King's eyes were still wide in disbelief, and it suddenly dawned on him there was a warm fluid running down his jeans.

The S Class glanced towards King. "Did you piss your pants?" he noted.

 _ **"He's still here... he... did he beat it?"**_

A small smile appeared on his saviour's face. "You okay?"

King squinted his eyes, before they widened again. **_"That voice..."_** How did he not realise sooner? Aside from the lack of hair, he was a spitting image of... him. His saviour from the first ever monster he faced down. The octopus that gave him his scars. _**"This man is..."**_ He couldn't stop the tears from flowing. He couldn't even care about how embarrassing it was for a grown man to sob in front of another.

"What's the matter King?"

King sniffed. "Sorry..."

As the sirens of an ambulance sounded, King sat in seiza, while the baldy, Saitama apparently, simply crossed his legs.

"Is it fun being a hero who lies, and cringes in fear?" Saitama asked.

"No..."

"Well, it's none of my business, so I won't lecture." Saitama stated as he stood up.

"But I benefited from your deeds!" King argued.

"This isn't about that. You're everyone's hero!" King tried to counter, but was interrupted. "People believe you're the strongest." The blonde stayed silent.

"So," Saitama picked up his groceries, "will you keep lying? Or will you quit being a hero?"

"I don't know." King conceded.

"In that case..." Saitama paused, "why don't you get strong?"

"Huh?" King tilted his head up.

"I'm going. Bye."

"Wait!" The blonde stood up as he shouted, "Aren't you angry? You worked hard to be a hero, but I-"

"I'll come again some time," Saitama interrupted as he stood at the edge of the giant hole, "to play video games." and jumped.

* * *

I'm so sorry for the delay. I guess I kinda owe an explanation, so here goes.

Basically, I was debating whether or not to change the meeting, and along with less free time, and the amount of stories and games taking up said free time, I recently realised I've been unable to find motivation to do anything. Not just homeowrk, but my hobbies, stuff I enjoy too. It's been coming back thankfully.

Anyway, I've got a plan as to how to go from here, so if nothing else comes up, the next chapter shouldn't take as long. I'm going to be straying away from the official stuff thanks to the changes I made, but nothing too major, hopefully. Hopefully. I thank you for your patience, and once again apologise.

Also, there's this remix I found on YouTube that I feel has not gotten the attention it deserves. Not sure how many people have heard of it, but just search "One Punch man Sadness Ballad", and click the one made by Styzmask. Enjoy.

* * *

FaolenBookWolf: I see. I'll keep trying, thanks.

Ander Arias: Yea, it kinda makes sense, though honestly, I don't know if this is actually real, but I like to believe relationships don't always end with hatred. As to Saitama's character, I'll keep trying. Do tell me when it seems even a bit OOC, thanks.

Hektols: Not my idea actually, comes from 'Icebreaker'. And let's be honest, if it wasn't those two, Demon Cyborg would've incinerated cities until they got the point.

Iynxx: Nah. Just the before and after scenes, though not in detail.

Elfetrange: Yea, it felt weird to me too. But I really was tired when I wrote that, and didn't know how else to continue. When I get to rewriting the story, I'll do something about it. Speaking of rewrites...

0byZero: Sorry if I misunderstood, but are you suggesting they argue about where to go next, then race? If so, I thank you for the suggestion, but that could never work out. No restriction would do anything for Tats.

Scarletrailgun: Can't find it. Please pm me a link when you have the time. Thanks.

The Love of Reading: Let me know if it feels too slow or rushed!

Bochinator: About time.

You10: Thanks. Please tell me if your opinion ever changes. OOC means 'Out Of Character', simply meaning when you write a character so they don't feel like the original. As for Nozomi... I got plans.

* * *

Please view previous chapters for credits. Thank you, and have a nice day.


	24. Chapter 24: Who puts eggs in toasters?

"You sure you don't have to help her Genos? I mean, I've bumped into more monsters lately."

Saitama was sitting in the living room in his hero costume after just returning home from a visit to King's, engrossed with a game on of King's PSP which he totally borrowed with permission. Genos meanwhile, was cleaning the dishes, thinking at the same time.

"She assured me she could handle herself, Sensei." Genos replied.

"Meh," Saitama shrugged, "it's your date dude."

"How about you Sensei? When will you and Tatsumaki go out again? Do you require me to think of another-"

"Nah, she'll call when she's free Genos."

While he really had doubts Tatsumaki would, Genos didn't argue. After all, Sensei knew the ESPer better than he. Besides, right now he has to worry about his date with Fubuki. He couldn't help but increase his sensor's range that day, even if it drained a bit more power than usual, even if it would be considered sexist to think a woman needs protecting, especially one with powers even he cannot hope to win against.

"So, you going out again?"

"Yes Sensei." The blond frowned. "I do not think I'll be back in time to prepare dinner, apologies."

 ** _"Third date he apologies for and counting."_** Saitama replied with a small wave. "No worries dude, I feel like having udon anyway." He chuckled. "Besides, you two should spend more time together, maybe catch a movie or something."

 ** _"And yet, you wait for your significant other to call."_** Genos sighed. "Of course Sensei, you are very wise."

As soon as he finished drying the last plate, Genos' sensors picked up movement near their apartment. It was definitely not Fubuki. A monster perhaps? That would certainly explain the speed at which it was moving. Placing the plate where it belonged, Genos removed his apron, and readied himself for combat.

"Sensei, I just remembered there is something I must attend to."

"Eh?" The baldy turned around, "Isn't Fubuki gonna be here soon?"

"Yes Sensei." The thing was getting closer. "If she arrives before I am back, please-"

"Yea yea, I got your back dude." Genos nodded, before exiting the apartment. Whatever the thing was, it was trying to hide. Keyword "trying".

"Whatever you are, you will leave this instant, or you shall be incinerated."

* * *

"Ugh, can this day get any better?"

Truthfully, she really thought she could handle herself. But the moment the car stopped outside the gates, she knew this would be more trouble than it was worth. It was fine at first, but the deeper she walked into the abandoned zone, the harder Fubuki had to pinch her nose. She was cursing Genos for not clarifying that by "a giant mess" he meant mounds of rotting monster corpses and not rubble. A few were even charred, though it was probably expected considering the residents of this area.

Come to think of it, wasn't this part of City Z abandoned because of the number of monster sightings? What was she expecting, considering the world's strongest and possibly laziest baldy lived here. Of course he wouldn't clean up after himself. Then again, she thought at least Genos would have burned everything. Maybe she should ask him to.

She thought the area near their apartment would be in a better state than this, but when she neared, there were quite a few spots that looked recently repaired, but there was still damage. Plus, she could already smell something burning. Recently burning too. Maybe Genos was in combat nearby. Thank god they weren't going anywhere fancy today, lord knows how painful the last time he wore a suit was.

By the time Fubuki ended up in front of the apartment door, her hand was actually getting tired from holding her nose that long. Knocking on the door with her free hand, Fubuki once again cursed Genos under her breath. This time for choosing to live in such a place. Maybe she could convince him to move into the new base the association was building. But that would mean getting Saitama to move too, won't it? God that would be troublesome. When no one came to the door, she knocked a bit harder. The sounds of someone stumbling around and a few muttered curses quickly followed, and the door swung open. The ESPer

sighed in relief when the first thing to hit her was the aroma of tea.

"Oh, hey Fubuki. You're kinda early." Saitama greeted as he moved aside. "You want some tea?"

"God, yes." She quickly snagged a cup, taking her own sweet time to savour the aroma. It was a cheap brand as far as she remembered, but good enough.

"Man, you're acting like you haven't drank tea for a long time."

"Considering the assault on my senses earlier, it felt like a long time." Fubuki replied, placing the cup down. "What is Genos doing in combat by the way?"

"Eh? Combat?"

"Unless there is a monster that shoots fire nearby you somehow have yet to kill, the burning smell must have come from Genos. So what's he doing in combat when you're here?

"He... is in combat?" The baldy was sweating now.

"Saitama?" Without another word, he dashed out, leaving Fubuki absolutely confused.

 ** _"Why did he seem worried? It's not like Genos can't handle himself. I mean, considering the clips I've watched, he can handle himself just fine. Heck, he gets so into it he sometimes destroys nearby build...ings..."_** The instant it clicked in her head, an explosion came from outside, and she swore she could feel a slight vibration along with an increase in temperature. Well shit, no wonder Saitama would be worried.

Not sure what to do, she poured herself another cup of tea. Screw it, those two could handle whatever was attacking, no point in wasting any energy. Besides, she needs all the energy she has to control herself when they go on their date again. No offense to Genos, but he really only has two modes. "Cool as hell", and "I didn't know I was dating a dork". One attracts all the fans, the other, in addition to still attracting all the fans, makes it really hard for her to keep her cool. To be fair, anyone would find it hard not to laugh when Demon Cyborg of all people can't react to others properly. You'd think with his fame he had plenty of experience.

And then there was his note taking. Sure she found it _slightly_ adorable that he treats this so seriously, but really? Organised bullet points she could understand but a freaking essay on why she doesn't like a certain food? Not to mention how he was trying so hard to go by the book, his shoulders were tense the whole day. Actually, that might be because he's a cyborg, but it doesn't change the fact he was acting so awkwardly serious. She practically had to _beg_ him to loosen up, that poor guy.

Fubuki sighed. Why was she even thinking so hard about this? It's obvious why he's like this. And yet, she has seen the more casual side of him already. Whenever he's with Saitama, he seems a lot less like a by-the-book cyborg, and more like an actual human being. She was pretty sure he cracked a sinister smirk when on their last date someone bad mouthed the baldy in front of his face. Big mistake because _Demon_ Cyborg sure can make threats. He even seemed slightly pleased with himself when she asked him why he was trying so hard.

Just as she was about to pour herself another cup, Saitama barged in, looking very, _very_ , displeased. Following behind was Genos, looking... like a kicked puppy? No, she's definitely not hallucinating that.

"Do I even want to know what happened?" She asked.

Saitama just plopped down on the floor, picking up a... is that a PSP? He can afford that? "Genos got into a fight with that stalker guy, almost blew up the place."

"Stalker?" Fubuki asked with her eyebrows raised.

"A fool with a redundant name that claims to be Saitama-Sensei's rival." Genos answered. His scowl returned at that, and she could hear the whirring get louder.

"And what's with the kicked puppy look?"

And said kicked puppy returned. "I almost destroyed Sensei's residence in my haste to prove myself. A mistake I will not make again." If she hadn't practised herself all these years, Fubuki might actually have snickered at this.

"Whatever man," Saitama cuts in, once again waving him off, "almost doesn't mean you did. Now hurry up and go on your date."

"But Sensei, I promised to clean u-"

"Don't keep a lady waiting dude."

"I... yes Sensei." Genos turns to look at Fubuki. "Forgive me for making you wait Fubuki."

"It's fine." She assured him as she stood up. "So, where to Genos?"

Before the blond could answer, the apartment door was opened, and the man who entered may or may not have elicited a gasp of surprise from Fubuki.

"Saitama, bro, did you take my PSP?" King walked in, and if he was surprised by Fubuki's presence, he didn't say a thing.

"K-K-King?!" Saitama knows KING? King called him BRO? Fubuki started to tremble a bit. Thankfully, the King Engine seemed relatively silent, so maybe he's not pissed at Saitama for taking his stuff. They might live to see another day after all.

"Uh... yea, sorry dude." Saitama replied, handing the device to the "Strongest Man On Earth".

"It's fine bro." King started fiddling with it.

"I uh... erased your data."

"What?" Oh good lord, they were gonna die alright.

"...Sorry." Saitama rubbed the back of his neck.

"Eh, it's fine. I was gonna do a speed run anyway." Saitama sighed in relief, and Fubuki relaxed a bit. Until King looked her in the eye that is. "So it's true. You and Genos are dating." The King Engine could be heard now, though it was quite soft.

"King-san, the two of us are heading out." Genos took the ESPer's hand, "Could you excuse us?" The terrifying hero nodded, and moved out of the way, allowing the couple to exit the building.

"Damn, Genos is one suave dude, right Saitama bro?" King quipped as he began to set up the console he brought.

"Whaddya mean?"

"He's dating Blizzard of Hell bro."

"So?" Saitama contemplated getting snacks, his dense head not even registering the other's comment.

"So? She's only like, the most sought after heroine in the whole association dude! Oh man, I totally ship them."

Saitama deadpanned. "Dude, you said that about me and Tats. How many ships do you even have?"

"Not enough." King grinned. "Besides, can you blame me? When that video of the carnival incident was uploaded, I could hardly control myself. Tornado of Terror actually defending someone that isn't Silver Fang was thought to be impossible!"

"Dude, chill. We've only just started."

"Oh come on, she must've started falling for you for a while already. Why else would she act like that?"

"Cuz we're friends?" Saitama argued.

"Oh man, 'Blizzard Demon' and 'Caped Terror' are gonna destroy the opposition so hard!" King exclaimed, ignoring Saitama's counter.

"Opposition?"

King practically deflated at that. "Self inserts bro. I got no problem with em but... they just aren't my thing."

"Why?"

"Bro, you wouldn't understand." King switched on the console.

"Of course not, I'm not the guy who has an obsession with fan fiction."

"Hey! You promised not to mention that!" sputtered the blond as he handed Saitama a spare controller.

"Just let the whole world know you're a kinky little shit already King." Saitama smirked.

"I regret making friends with you bro. I really do." King replied with a smile.

* * *

"You didn't tell me he knows KING!" Fubuki hollered.

The admiration is her voice was not lost to Genos. "I did not think that Sensei being acquainted with other heroes was a big deal, Fubu-"

"SERIOUSLY?! That's the earth's strongest man he just casually stole a PSP from!"

Genos frowned even further. "Do not remind me of the fact he has stolen Sensei's namesake."

"Did you not hear me? The earth's STRONGEST MAN is friends with Sai, and you _insult_ him?!" Genos didn't have the heart to tell her his scanners say otherwise.

"So Sensei attracts the strong. It doesn't change the fact that Sensei is the strongest."

"I... I don't even want to argue about this." Fubuki concedes, her arms dropping back to the sides. "Where are we even going?"

"Somewhere casual." was Genos' vague reply.

"Not the park again..."

"No. One eco-terrorist monster was enough."

"Don't tell me it's the udon place your Sensei holds so dear."

"No, it isn't."

"Genos, come on, you're killing me here." The blond actually smirks, the bastard. Fubuki slugs his arm in response. "Tell me damn it!"

"Why are you so insistent on knowing where we are headed to?"

"You know damn well why you sly bastard!"

The ass actually looks amused by this. "It was the one time Fubuki."

"The first actual date we go on gets ruined because you didn't tell me we were eating at a place that just so happened to use what I'm allergic to in everything, and you dare tell me it was _the one time_?!"

"I apologise again and admit my mistake. But trust me, where we're going we won't have such issues."

Fubuki growled. "When I said loosen up I didn't mean turn into Mr Smarty Pants asshole!"

Mr Smarty Pants' smile is gone at that. "Of course. I am sorry."

"Ugh, don't tell me you researched how to act more casually."

The silence that followed was more than enough of an answer. Fubuki shook her head with a small smile. This smart ass was one hell of a dumbass too, wasn't he?

"Just be yourself Genos. Minus the super serious attitude."

"But-"

"I already told you, it's okay to make mistakes. Everyone does. You don't to like that fact, just accept it." Honestly, getting pampered because his mistake caused her to break out into an itch was quite fun.

Genos hung his head for a second, thinking most likely, before he took a deep breath, confidence all over his face. "I will try."

 ** _"Dork."_**

* * *

I swear to god if one more story I follow updates, I'm gonna lose my mind over the guilt of not updating. Seriously, who must I find so much shit to make use of my free time.

Anyway, I feel like I should stop apologising because every time I do it just feels more like an excuse than something sincere, but I'm gonna do it until someone stops me. So, sorry for the wait, and the really short length. I just really wanted to get something out, and I figured I'm gonna need more time to think about how the date would go, so I cut this one short.

Honestly, I'm tempted to sprint forward in time to follow the manga chapters, but that wouldn't make sense because character development damn it. Really starting to regret not starting the story after the webcomic right now... Anyway, haven't got much to say here, I have about 3 fandoms to do some reading, and damn are there a lot of stories here and on AO3. See you next chapter.

* * *

Lightningblade49: Wait and see.

0byZero: Please clarify through a pm. I'm confused ._.

Hektols: Of course, it just didn't feel right to leave this out or change it. I'll try to keep in mind for the future.

Ander Arias: Next one, I've got an idea.

FanficReader1212: Give me a device to freeze time and I will shoot one out every day!

TheJSm-So many?!: Joking, I read every one, can only reply to latest though. Eh, thanks for the reviews, I'll keep some things in mind. I'm glad you managed to enjoy even the _earlier_ ones. I'll keep trying!

Iynxx: Yes. Voice, face and sound effects included.

Elfetrange: I want to believe a part of Saitama just knows, but we'll see how it goes. I have not thought that far yet. Glad you enjoyed it!

You10: You won't regret reading the manga! Hopefully what I have planned won't disappoint.

Jack Fortune: Believe it or not, it's not hard. It's just that good stories are either gay (and extra cute? le fuck) or abandoned (sad.) or on hiatus. (help me i have no patience) Browse AO3 by kudos or something, there's quite a few.

* * *

This end part has gotten longer than youtubers with millions or subscribers, so credits can be found in previous chapters. Sorry!


	25. Chapter 25: Accept

"Why can't I beat you..." were the last words the world's strongest hero breathed out, before collapsing on his back in pure exhaustion.

"Don't sweat it Saitama bro, you'll get better in time." said King, trying to cheer up his defeated (what was that, 100 rounds?) friend. "Even I started out a noob after all."

"Ugh, screw this. I'm gonna get a drink." Saitama lazily pushed himself off the floor while King loaded up another single player level.

When the baldy was out of sight, King whipped out his phone, typing in another paragraph of his fan fiction. It wasn't a 'Caped Terror' story, since he started it way before that ever became a thing, but he still rather Saitama not see it. The last story he made the error of writing with Saitama around was embarrassing enough. Earning himself the name "Kinky little shit" beats pissing his pants because of a giant bird by a long shot.

Saitama returned very quickly with some kind of cheap brand soda King couldn't even recognise and sat back down, intent on watching King beat the shit out of whatever is thrown at him, when his phone started to ring. Seeing that there was no caller ID, he quickly rejected it, only to be called back immediately again.

"You aren't gonna answer it?" King glanced back, still managing to beat the enemy into a pulp even without looking.

"I don't want whatever they're selling." Saitama replied, sipping his soda.

"Dude, that's a association phone," the blond pointed at it whilst holding off his opponent with his other hand. "only officials can reach it. Just answer it."

"Fine..." Saitama hesitantly answered the call, hoping it would be important enough for the phone bill. "Hello?"

"Caped Baldy, could you kindly report to A City's headquarters right now?"

"Who is this?" Saitama asked.

"Shouta Yamamoto of the hero association. We need to discuss something with you, so could you-"

"Fine, gimme a minute."

"Thank you Caped-"

"Call me Saitama." The baldy hung up, sighing as he chugged down what remained of his soda.

"You gotta go, bro?" King inquired, having beaten two more levels in the time of the call. Don't ask how.

"Yea, some important thingy they wanna talk about. Could I lend your PSP again?"

"Why?"

"They talk too much." Saitama complained.

King thought for a moment. "That was Shouta you talked to right?"

"I think so."

"He's like, the only guy Tatsumaki can stand. I'm sure he won't talk too much crap."

"You sure?" King nodded, and Saitama seemed to lighten up a bit. "Ok then, guess I'm off. Lock the door if you decide to go first."

"Sure thing bro." King replied as he faced the screen, sighing at the victory screen. "I've become too good..."

* * *

Shouta let out a tired sighed as he pocketed his phone. He was not looking forward to this at all, not since that incident was rudely shoved right into his face. He was shocked, of course, to hear that Tatsumaki was in a relationship, even more so to hear it was with the 'fraud' Caped Baldy. Sure the guy seemed decent enough, the Sea Folk incident was proof of that, but he is after all one of the lowest ranking S class, as well as the newest, along with Demon Cyborg.

This however paled in comparison to the shock when some colleagues thought this was the perfect chance to control Tatsumaki. They were all crying in joy about how if they captured "The weak ass fraud baldy", they could manipulate the ESPer to do whatever they wanted, with no repercussions. Of course, he got them kicked out with a quick phone call to Agoni, but it still shocked him that people would actually think of such a thing in the first place. No one deserved such treatment after all.

Still, the two days since that incident he had a lot of work, especially concerning the earlier announced relationship between Demon Cyborg and Blizzard of Hell. With this news, he was up to his neck with workload, and it was only just after he was done with Genus. God, sometimes he hated his job. About a minute after the call ended, the unmistakable eyesore that was Caped Ba-Saitama turned up.

"That was fast."

"I said a minute, didn't I?" The hero replied, dusting off his suit.

"Were you busy with something nearby?"

"Nah, was chilling in my apartment."

 ** _"He must be joking right? He lives in City Z..."_** Shouta thought back to when Demon Cyborg of all people handed the bald man's details to him, stating that updating details 'was not worth Sensei's precious time.' Whatever, that doesn't matter now. "Anyway, I wished to speak to you about your... relationship."

"Oh, me and Tats?"

 ** _"A nickname? Oh dear lord."_** Shouta inwardly sighed. This was going to be difficult. "Yes, that. Let's get the obvious out of the way first, shall we?" He took out a notepad, "Is this relationship real? As in, this isn't for ra-"

"No." Shouta jotted down his response, noting there was some anger in the hero's voice, as if the question itself seemed insulting, which it is. Too bad it has happened before.

"How long have you two been together?"

"Eh," Saitama scratched his temple. Good, a sign he didn't come prepared with lies. "since the second day of that vacation."

"Ok... why did you two get together in the first place?"

Saitama shrugged. "I dunno. I felt she was a good person, and I guess she did too."

Seemed about right. "Alright, so there are a few things you have to know, Saitama." Shouta flipped to a page near the back. "First of all, you and Tornado of Terror must sign some papers to make this official. Second-"

"I'm sorry, repeat that?" Saitama seemed to have tensed, standing straight up instead of slouching, his glare burning into Shouta's soul, daring him.

With a gulp, the bearded worker managed to open his mouth again. "Apologies, but the association insists-"

"Who the hell do they think they are?" The hero clenched his fists. "I'm not signing a permission slip for a relationship. What do they think this is, a business deal?" his glare became more threatening, and Shouta moved back a step. "What do they think Tats is..."

Shouta remained silent before releasing a sigh, much more tired than before, because if he thinks in that way, then surely this relationship need not go through the trials like the others... but he had a job. "I'm sorry. This is to prevent any incidents like before from happening. Please understand I have the utmost respect for Torna-"

"Tatsumaki."

"What?"

"Her name. She's not an asset of the association."

"That's not-"

"Believe me, I know the difference between formality and... whatever this is." Saitama crossed his arms. "I've done too many odd jobs not to."

Shouta paused, choosing his words wisely. "... I'm sorry, but I always refer to heroes as whatever they insist on, Saitama."

Saitama's glare weakened in understanding. "Sorry... but she needs to be treated properly before she thinks herself as something other than... you know. I mean, at least when talking to me, you call her by name."

And that, was all he needed. This was no fraud, nor was the Sea Folk invasion a one time thing. He was definitely staring right at a hero. After all, if he already learned of the way Tatsumaki sees herself, surely that meant that he earned her respect and trust. He would know, after all, since it took him forever to get even the smallest details from Bang, not the ESPer herself.

"Of course. As I was saying, aside from the papers," Indeed, right on cue the hero tensed again, "you and Tatsumaki must also make a public statement. Furthermore, you must openly agree to specific conditions." Shouta shook his head in dismay. Or perhaps disgust that someone who has already earned his utmost respect is to be treated this way, along with his significant other. "I _am_ sorry, Saitama, but my job dictates that I-"

"Yea yea, I know how jobs force you to do stuff you hate. Don't apologise for that." Saitama started to dig his ear, "But unless Tats willingly agrees to this, I'm not gonna bother."

Shouta was having one hell of a war on the inside. Why must ghis be a part of his resume? "And if she doesn't?..." he hesitantly asked.

" _So what_ if she doesn't?" Saitama asks right back, his bluntness making him seem rude, though to Shouta at least, it wasn't. Even if it was meant to be rude, it was well deserved.

"The association will break you up and charge you both with treason, along with any punishment deemed fit."

Whether it was because the man understood the situation as he too worked such jobs, or because he gave up trying to argue with the world and its flawed logic, Shouta wouldn't know, as Saitama sighed, slumping forward.

"Can I talk to the boss?"

"I... will try to arrange a date. Mr Agoni is very busy."

"Alright. Anything else?"

"Well," Shouta flipped through his notepad, finding the right page quickly, "Dr Genus has requested your presence, very specifically, with no other heroes accompanying you."

"Who?"

Shouta raised his eyebrows. "You... don't remember?" The bald shook his head in response. "He claims you destroyed the House of Evolution, and inspired him to change."

Saitama knocked his head a few times, before raising a finger in triumph. "The guy who created those guys!"

Shouta shuddered at the mention of the doctor'a creations. They were a huge pain when it came to the paperwork, what with monsters being heroes and all. It took a lot of interviews involving how they were changed due to the very man in front of him, as well as Bang's word to finally get it through.

"Yes, him. He's been meaning to speak with you for a while now. Do you have the time?"

"I guess. Where is he?"

"Just follow me, Saitama."

A few minutes of walking past display after display of money and a massive ego, the two of them arrived at the canteen where a few stalls stood. The most prominent being "Reformed Takoyaki", with the massive sign on the side stating "This stall was created by Dr Genus to provide free food for the less fortunate as well as a job for reformed criminals."

"That sounds like a nice thing to do." Saitama said, pointing at the sign.

"It is. I was quite surprised when the first thing Genus asked me to do was to make this idea work. Not funds for some experiment, but this."

"So if there's no profits, how do you guys pay for stuff?"

Shouta chuckled at how ridiculous the answer still was, even after repeating it countless times. "Genus found a way to mass produce octopus with barely any costs for the product. The staff is entirely comprised of Genus and a now reformed criminal named 'Hammerhead', so wages are cheap."

Saitama actually smiled at this. "Cool."

Shouta nodded in agreement. "Alright, let's get this over with. Genus! I've brought Saitama!"

"Give me a minute! Hammerhead! Prepare a meal for our esteemed guest!" A while later, Genus walked out of the stall, wiping his glasses. "Ah, Saitama. At last you have come. Sit down, we have much to discuss."

Saitama suddenly slacked, groaning. "Please get straight to the point." he said while sitting down.

"Yes yes, whatever you wish." Genus replied with a smile as he took his own seat across the bald hero. "Shouta, if you wish to, you may leave."

The bearded worker checked his watch. "I think I can have a little break."

"Anyway, Saitama, let me start by thanking you." Genus pushed his glasses back up. "Your impressive performance has really changed me. Were it not for you, I'd still be wasting my life trying to bring humans into a new age."

Saitama only shrugged. "Eh, it was you who made the choice in the end."

"How very wise of you." It was at this moment the Hammerhead guy walked out of the stall carrying a try of steaming Takoyaki and some tea.

"Here we are, freshly made TakoyakAAAAH!" The huge man dropped the tray, screaming like some terrified child. Were it not for Saitama and his insane reflexex, the food would've been wasted.

"Dude, you almost wasted all this." Saitama stated, placing the tray on the table.

"Y-Y-You! Please don't kill me! I'm a good guy now!" Hammerhead got on his knees, pleading with his hands together.

"Eh? Do I know you?"

Hammerhead's eyes widened in shock. "You d-d-don't remember me?"

Saitama squinted at the man before shaking his head. "Nope."

After Genus and Shouta calmed the man down, they were all seated at the table, with Saitama and Shouta on one side, and Genus and Hammerhead on the other. Hammerhead was sipping at some tea to calm his nerves as he recounted how he met Saitama, while the bald hero simply nodded whilst he enjoyed the Takoyaki. Genus and Shouta were doing their own thing to pass the time, with one writing down recipes for what seemed to be new Takoyaki flavours while the other kept poking at his phone.

"So because of you, I'm trying to change. My life has really gotten better, and my mum looks a lot happier now."

Saitama swallowed another mouthful, washing it down with some tea. "Good for you dude." he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't think I did much though. For you or the Genius guy."

"No way, you basically saved us!" Hammerhead exclaimed, banging the table in excitement.

"Alright Hammerhead, get back to work. I must speak with Saitama." Genus commanded, and Hammerhead complied with a nod and one final thanks to Saitama. "Ahem, Saitama, this is what I wished to speak to you about." Genus slid a note across to Saitama, which had a few drawings and lines of science terms. "Essentially, I wish to take some of your DNA so that in the event of death, we could always bring you back."

"Eh? Why?"

"Simple, really. The world is in constant peril, and I'm sure you know how little heroes are out there who are willing to take such beings on. And even less who can." the Doctor sighed. "You are by far the strongest I have ever seen, far surpassing the other S classes if my calculations are correct. Therefore, you-"

"Yea, no."

Genus seemed shocked by the bald's answer. "Why? Would you rather watch as the world burns?"

Saitama shook his head. "Nah, I just don't like the idea of being alive when everyone around me is dead."

"We could always extend the offer to those you care for, Saitama. Your lover, for example."

Again, Saitama denied it. "Then you'd have to extend it to whoever she cares about, then again, and again. It won't work."

Genus nodded solemnly. "Very wise. In that case, how about the ability to clone you? I could have it so that the clone ages normally, so while you won't outlive your actual lifespan, you won't have to deal with an early death either."

"Same issue." Saitama simply stated, shrugging.

"Hmm. I suppose I'll have to come up with another way then. Very well, I apologise for wasting your time, Saitama."

"Nah, the food was good at least. The amount of cheese could be less though."

Genus nodded with a smile, extending a handshake to the hero. "I'll take your criticism into account."

Saitama waved goodbye to the two, before disappearing through the canteen door. Genus was about to head back to work when Shouta pulled him back, his face curious.

"'Far surpassing the other S classes' you say... What do you mean by that?"

Genus stuffed his hands into his pockets, shaking his head with a chuckle, as if the question was absurd. "Exactly what I said. He is beyond all the S classes combined. Beyond all of the _association_ combined."

"And what makes you say that?" On that day, Shouta was given a lecture by the Doctor, one he apparently gave to Zombieman a few days after he was approved by the association, and gained even more respect for the Caped Baldy. That is, if the limiter theory is true.

* * *

On the way back, Saitama managed to snag a few things from City A he would never find at City Z. His haul included some manga, some product that is only delivered to City A, and even a great brand of tea. The best part was, he got it all at a discount, even though there was no sale. Not to mention, some passer-bys actually came up to him and said nice things. One girl even asked for an autograph on this really sweet picture she drew of him and Tats. And to think all it took was getting into a job that pays him to do what he always wanted with the help of his now girlfriend. Life really is full of surprises.

As he debated on what to eat, his phone started ringing, and Genos' voice acted as the ringtone. A very loud "Sensei, do not anger Tatsumaki by ignoring this phone call. Please pick up." Saitama managed to answer it before it started to loop.

"Baldy!" was the greeting he received. "Why haven't you called these few days?!"

"Uh, I figured you'd call when you were free." Tatsumaki gave an annoyed huff in response. "Did I do something wrong?" Saitama asked.

"Forget it. I'm free now, so get over here. I need to tell you something."

Well, at least the talk is with Tats. He should be able to survive this. "Sure, just give me a sec to put some stuff at home."

"I'll send you the directions. Hurry it up."

He tried to not get lost, he really did. But he got lost anyway. Even running as fast as he could without breaking stuff along the way, he only made it to Tats' apartment in 5 minutes. The door opened almost immediately after he rang the bell, and he was greeted by what smelled like freshly made pancakes. He quickly removed his boots and walked in, admiring the decor of the rather expensively furnished place. At least his girlfriend had style, and wasn't just trying to boost her ego with the most expensive stuff ever. Heck, he even recognised some cheaper brands from when he lived with Nozomi.

"Hey Tats, you cooking?" Two plates of pancakes flew past him in response.

"Sit down." Tatsumaki commanded, bringing two bottles of syrup and packets of milk with her. "Try to understand what I'm about to tell you next, okay?" She sounded angry.

"Sure." Did he do something wrong?

Tatsumaki cracked open the syrup bottles and began pouring some onto both her and Saitama's plates. "Basically, the idiots at the association are going to make us do some shit. I know because I've seen it. I want you to say no to all of it, and let me handle things."

Saitama sighed in relief. "They actually called me down today. I handled it, and the guy said he'll try to get me a time to talk to the boss."

"Huh? They called you first?!"

"Is that weird?"

"It... it _is_ weird. They usually call the one with a higher rank, expecting us to spill the beans because we're afraid we'll be dropped or something. What the hell..."

"Ah, the guy who asked me stuff seemed to know you it that helps."

Tatsumaki clicked her tongue in response. "Caveman. I should have known."

"Caveman?"

"His stupid stubble, duh." the ESPer pointed at her chin to emphasise her point. "At least you managed to get the one with brains."

"You make it sound like everyone else is an idiot."

"Most of them are." Tatsumaki sighed. "Okay, that's one thing out of the way."

"And the other?" Saitama asked as he ate some of the pancake, noting how sweet and fluffy it tasted.

"So... I saved Mumen yesterday..."

 ** _"I wonder how he's doing?"_** Saitama cut off another piece. "And?"

"I brought him to the hospital, since he's basically the only guy who treats you nicely, and I met his girlfriend..."

"Cool, I thought he had one." Saitama smiled, remembering the hero's slip of the tongue at the carnival.

"... Her name is Nozomi, Saitama." Saitama stopped chewing, almost dropping his knife as he felt... something.

"So?..." Why would she tell him this?

"She's... the same Nozomi." Tatsumaki's voice dropped, and it sounded like there was some pity in her voice. "I recognised her from what you told me. Opposite hair and eye colour, roughly the same size too."

Oh. That's why. "That's cool I guess."

"That's it? I tell you your ex hooked up with probably your only other friend and that's all you got?"

"Did you expect something else Tats? Mumen's a nice guy. He deserves someone nice. Plus, I have you, so why would I care?"

"You literally froze when I mentioned her name. You said it yourself, you're starting to feel again." Tatsumaki reached her hand out, only to hesitate and withdraw it. "Do you... really not feel anything?"

"Course I do. But it's proof I'm still human, so I don't care." the bald looked up, and sure enough, there was some pity in his girlfriend's eyes. "Is something bothering you?"

"I just... nothing."

Saitama put his knife and fork down. "Come on Tats, you can tell me."

"Forget it, eat, and then go. We'll have a date tomorrow." Tatsumaki started to cut away at her pancake, and only just did Saitama realise that she literally has yet to touch it. Something is wrong.

"Please tell me what's wrong Tats." Saitama asked, more insistent.

"You said you wouldn't force me if I don't feel like it, so stop it."

He didn't have a counter to that, so he just nodded and continued to eat. Man, sometimes he wishes he was as smart as Genos. The guy would probably have found a way to dig the truth out without making it seem forced. Maybe he just wasn't as good at reading people as he thought he was.

To his surprise, Tatsumaki stopped eating after a minute of silence. With a sigh, she looked up. "I was worried." She paused, as if waiting for Saitama to say something, then she continued. "I thought if we ever met them, you'd end up getting all depressed again. I didn't even want to tell you this in the first place because..." Tatsumaki furrowed her eyebrows, thinking. "I hate to admit this, but I thought I'd lose you. And only after we just... I mean..."

It was really hard to resist the urge to hug her, but Saitama did. He put on the most genuine smile he could, because if it was this difficult to admit what was probably in her eyes a weakness, the last thing she needed was pity. "It's fine Tats. I'd be worried about losing you too."

"You don't understand. Mumen told me she was involved in a monster attack, and lost quite a lot of her memory." Tatsumaki turned her head way, "The woman who brought happiness to your life _forgot you._ Someone you loved **_forgot you_**. How would you have reacted? I don't even know why I'm telling you this. I'm confused. I'm worried. I'm everything I told myself not to be, and it's because of you." She shut her eyes closed, forcefully holding back something. "What do I do?"

Saitama moved over to where the ESPer sat, trying very hard not to lunge at her with a Serious Hug. "You're doing great so far, telling me your problems. I think next you should let me help you."

"How?" How do you let someone help you? How do you let yourself accept the help? How do you change the way you've lived for so long?

"Uhm... I'm not an expert, but I think you first need to trust that I won't let you down halfway. You have to trust that I'll help for the sake of helping." Saitama reached his hand out. "We could start with you accepting your feelings I guess?"

Tatsumaki opened her eyes, and Saitama noted how they seemed to shine. She looked at his palm, seemingly unsure, before she took hold of it. Her grip was weak, she was still unsure. Saitama smiled softly, extending his other hand. She took that one two, her grip tightening ever so slightly. Saitama gave the small hands in his a gentle squeeze, and they followed suit. Tatsumaki was still frowning, and he swears he could see her mouth quivering. How scared was she?

"I guess the next thing to do is... let yourself get close to someone? To me?" He gently tugged, yet Tatsumaki stayed still. "Take your time Tats. I don't mind." He assured her, his eyes meeting hers. Eventually, she got closer, bit by bit, breaking eye contact multiple times as she seemed to have an internal struggle. Slowly but surely, she neared him, accepting him.

"And... I guess the last thing is to embrace it? Embrace your feelings?" Saitama slowly released her hands, opening his arms. This was her choice to make. Her own strength must be what pushes her. The ESPer moved forward, but hesitated when his skin met hers. He could definitely see her quivering now, but he stayed still. "Would you trust me, Tatsumaki?"

The resulting hug was strong, yet soft. She had thrown her arms around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder. Saitama could feel his suit getting wet, and he knew for a fact she was shaking. "People don't change overnight." he hugged her back. "But I'll wait all my life if I have to." Saitama patted her back, whilst simultaneously stroking her hair.

"You won't." She promised.

It was late when Saitama returned to his apartment. Genos had returned, and King was still there, freeloading and enjoying the quiet. Both blonds greeted him. They both glanced at his tear stained costume, and exchanged a nod. After Saitama had a quick shower and changed into his pyjamas, King was aleady placing the last of his stuff into a bag. He waved goodbye, promising to play again when Saitama had free time. Genos was standing at the side, and basically commanded Saitama to go to sleep whilst he did all the cleanup.

Without the energy to object, Saitama shuffled over to his futon, collapsing on it. That night, Saitama dreamed of something other than the fight he was looking for. He dreamed of the life he never thought he could have. One his parents would definitely be proud of. That night, Genos managed to capture an image of his Sensei sleeping, smiling. Fubuki would certainly want to see this, if only to mock Saitama for how much her sister could affect him.

* * *

OOC, so much OOC. And I have no regrets.

I dunno if I managed to convince you that the change in character was justified, but I hope I at least managed to write something sufficiently fluffy to make up for my previous chapters. I tried to write something more than just dialogue, and it was hard. I'm baffled by authors that can do this in a blink of an eye. I have much to learn, and I thank all of you for bearing with me, as well as for your kind words. (Seriously, I'm still trying to get over the fact that amazing writers read this)

In any case, I hope this was worth the _weight_. Sooner or later I'll have a consistent schedule. Until then, I bid you adieu.

* * *

Elfetrange: This chapter is lacking in a certain green haired ESPer too, but I figured I'll make up for it next time. Thank you for having this story as one of your favourites. I'm honoured, and I hope this chapter is enjoyable to.

Hektols: ;)

Iynxx: Oh you mean the one with great artwork and an interesting story? I've read it.

FaolenBookWolf: I'll never abandon it by choice, that is a promise. I'm glad I've managed to write something you enjoy, and... you do wha- Okay, wow. I'm uh... thanks. And trust me, I look forward to that arc too.

Ander Arias: It's hard to find a balance, but I'll definitely keep trying. Hopefully this one is more quality than quantity. Please tell me if the quality ever drops.

Scarletrailgun: I've read it, and I enjoyed it, thanks. Here's the new chapter, hope you enjoy it.

R0ck3tFiRe: Nani? Eh, yea I'm gonna be here for a while.

* * *

This section has gotten too long. Please view previous chapters, or pm me for credits.


	26. Chapter 26: What happens now?

Nozomi groaned as she collapsed on the couch. The day was painful to say the least, having visited Mumen in the hospital again after a tiring day at work. He looked absolutely horrible, with the bandages all over his body, as well as his arm in a cast. Yet somehow, he was smiling through it all. It's inspiring to see how determined he is, but it really worries her how he keeps fighting stuff he can't handle.

Like that Sea King thing for example. It was scary to see how injured he was, and it hurt her when she went to see him then. It was also painful when she watched him get sad over how the bald guy took the fall for him, as he beat on himself for not being able to change the people's minds. Yet, Mumen always managed to get through whatever came his way, and come out even more optimistic than before. Yes, he was one tough little fella, just like her cactus. Ah right, she needed to water that little guy.

The cactus had grown a flower recently, and along with the googly eyes the roll that is Mumen stuck on it, it looked cute in its tiny pot. Nozomi smiled. For some reason, the cactus always managed to cheer her up. Maybe it has something to do with life before the accident, but she didn't care. Her life now must be just as good, if not better. After all, she had Mumen, arguably the world's largest cinnamon roll.

Still, she couldn't help but think she forgot something important. How could she not, having only been able to remember about half of her life, but she can't complain. The doctors said she's lucky she remembers anything at all. Stupid monster, giving her amnesia early. Shaking her head clear of such thoughts, she placed the elephant shaped watering can down and went off to make a meal for herself. Mumen wouldn't be back until tomorrow after all, and she's going to need all the energy she could get in order to not clonk the guy on his head.

 _ **"He deserves at least a punch on the shoulder."**_ she thought. After all, he wanted out immediately, and if not for Tornado of Terror insisting the doctor keep him in, he would've had his way. The doctor even seemed thankful he was given an excuse to keep Mumen there, as if he's had to deal with this before. Come to think of it, why was she there in the first place? Aside from saving the poor guy's life, she had no other reason to stay there, much less be looking out for him. Maybe she's grateful for when Mumen stood up for her boyfriend? That makes the most sense.

She chuckled to herself. She still couldn't believe the heroine has a boyfriend, considering her reputation. Then again, it was the same baldy who took the fall during the Sea Folk Invasion. If anyone had a chance, it was the guy who drop kicked his pride for the reputation of other heroes, whom she doubted would ever dream of doing the same. Except Mumen, duh. It was a big surprise to hear rumours about it, and then to have it confirmed by Mumen himself.

Speaking of surprises, didn't Tornado seem surprised when she walked into the room? The heroine even seemed kinda shocked when she introduced herself. Or maybe she was imagining things, because there is no reason S Class Rank 2 would be surprised by her. Whatever the case, she decided not to care, as the food had started to cook.

Nozomi hummed a tune she remembered. It was comforting, and she could imagine the exact sounds, as if she was listening to it on her phone. It was nice to be able to remember something from her past so completely, even if she couldn't remember how she found it. She looked around the humble kitchen for some spices, once again taking in the quaintness of it all.

She smiled to herself again as she thought of how coincedental everything was. She had to move after the accident collapsed the whole building, with her in it. It was Mumen who found her that day, sticking around as part of the clean up crew. He had offered her a place in his home while she got sorted, and the feelings just happened over time. In a way, it was familiar. She seemed to remember having a roommate before, but the details are still fuzzy.

Nozomi took in the smell of the freshly made eggs and rice, deciding it needed something more. She reached for the pepper and gave the bottle a shake, finally taking a satisfied whiff. Granted, it was a really cheap meal to make, but it felt homely. Maybe it was something her mum made often, before... right. Of all the things to have not forgotten, it had to be that.

Violently shaking her head, Nozomi ate a mouthful of the dish, glancing in the direction of the little cactus next to her, in this comfy little apartment. This was home now, and she couldn't care less about it replacing the previous one. If she could even count that one as a home.

Speaking of home, the place looks like it could use some cleaning. Has it really been that long since she did some sweeping? Maybe with all the trouble Mumen had gotten into the past few days she really forgot. It wouldn't be the first time her heart prioritised the cinnamon roll over her chores. _ **"Tsk, tsk Nozomi."**_ , she scolded herself.

With a determined nod, she picked up her phone to play the song again. The soft piano made her smile as she began to wash the plate she just ate off of. The song accompanied her throughout the day as she swept, mopped, and wiped the floor. By the time she finished, the song finished with the trumpets again, and she ended it before it began once more.

Some of her friends considered her insane for enjoying one song so much. They claimed she stuck to it as it was like a sort of root to her past, something she could not forget. That may be partially true, but she also enjoyed it way too much. Heck, some of her more supportive friends made some remixes. There was a music box version, an orchestral version, some even played a cover on a guitar, or a piano.

Speaking of friend, she should double check her plans with them. They might be disrupted by her deciding to cuddle the life out of Mumen when he got back. Upon checking the calender, she saw that her next meet up was in two days, which definitely leaves sufficient time for cuddling. Unless he got into another-no, he's not that unlucky. He has like, infinite good Karma after all.

Nozomi laughed to herself. Mumen, you big hearted bastard, making her think so cheesy. It was at this point she heard the door open, and she was surprised at the sight of Mumen, looking quite well.

"Mumen? You were supposed to stay in the hospital for today!" Nozomi rushed over, putting her hand on his cheek. "Are you alright?"

The poor hero turned red, and if Nozomi wasn't used to this by now, she'd have forced him back for a high fever. "I'm fine, Nozomi. Turns out the new scientist guy made this thing that heals injuries super fast!"

It was hard for Nozomi to contain herself. If what Mumen said was true, and what he says always is, then she wouldn't have to worry so much anymore. Still, she had her doubts. This wasn't like a game where a healing potion exists. What if there were side effects? Then again considering the things she has seen, it wasn't that hard to believe.

She must have really been tired, because Mumen somehow managed to notice her doubt, and tried to convince her he was fine by requesting the strongest hug she could give, and even offered to take additional punches to areas other than his shoulder.

She knew she could never do anything to hurt him like that, but she gladly slugged him, scolding him for being reckless again, despite knowing he'll stay this way, before giving him the strongest hug she could muster. It was comfy, like a cinnamon roll should be, and they soon ended up on the bed in each other's arms.

"Welcome home, Mumen."

"You always say that Nozomi."

Nozomi tried to look confused. "Since when, hospital lover?"

"Hey," Mumen pouted, "I don't even like hospitals. All my love is for home."

Nozomi giggled. "And why is that?"

Mumen smiled, practically radiating sunlight. "Because you're here to greet me."

They fell asleep soon enough, buried in each other's embrace, smiling.

* * *

Tatsumaki sighed as she placed her toothbrush back in the cup. The talk with Saitama was tiring, but in a good way she supposed. For once in a long time she felt at ease, comfortable in someone else's presence. It was disgustingly easy to let her emotions overflow, and she would most certainly be murdered by the old her if she ever found out.

The old her. Funny, it's not as if it's been a long time. She first met Saitama... what, a month and a half ago? That was one hell of a way to meet the person you'd eventually fall for. It was like something ripped out of a child's imagination, being saved by the knight in shining armour. Knight with shining bald head in her case.

Yup, Old Tatsumaki definitely would never have guessed things would turn out this way. Even still, she thinks-no, knows she likes this. The stupid smile she made earlier was proof enough. God, it was embarrassing. Good thing he didn't seem to notice.

Who was she kidding, Saitama definitely noticed. He's not as dumb as he seems after all. Though she made fun of Genos for it, she couldn't help but see the wiser side of Saitama now. A walking fountain of wisdom, even if the source is a bit tainted by his laziness and unwillingness to put much thought into anything.

Tatsumaki shook her head with a chuckle. Great, now she was starting to think like an old person. Bang would have a field day if he found out. Joke about her _growing up_. Thankfully, the one person she won't murder for height jokes would never know. No one could read minds after all.

Really though, she didn't expect this much change in such a short amount of time. To be fair, who would? In the time since she met Saitama, she has not only managed to somehow _fall in love_ with him but also allowed herself to be more open, albeit only a little.

Tatsumaki shuddered at that thought. She was still afraid it seems. Afraid of what this all meant. Afraid that this new her would be vulnerable. Afraid she wouldn't be strong enough to protect the ones she loved. Afraid she wouldn't be able to protect Fubuki again...

The esper groaned. She already talked to baldy, why was she talking to herself now? Maybe she needs to talk more. Didn't Saitama say he would always listen to her? Against her better judgement, she dialed his number, hoping he has yet to fall asleep at this time.

She expected the call to either end up ignored or for him to be woken up. What she did not expect was for Genos to pick up on the fourth ring.

"Tatsumaki," he quietly greeted. "my sincerest apologies, but Sensei will be out of commission for a while. Not even the ringtone woke him up."

She sighed. "Forget it. I figured he'd be drained. I don't even know why I called."

"I assume Sensei had a heartfelt chat with you, and thus you have come to the conclusion that he would lend a listening ear once more."

"Hmph. Don't think you can get away with acting smart just cuz you're with Fubuki." she scolded. "Who even told you that bullshit?"

"Sensei's costume did." Genos replied.

Tatsumami growled. "If you tell _anyone_ , I'll make sure what's left of you isn't even worth recycling, you hear me?" Of all the people to know she let herself be vulnerable...

"I would not have dreamed of doing so, threat or not." Genos calmly stated. "I would never do such a thing to Sensei's significant other, nor would I ever betray Sensei's trust."

Tatsumaki let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. If it was anyone else, she wouldn't believe it, but Genos did seem to be... extremely loyal. At least she could be certain he'd never hurt Fubuki.

"You know what, I'm tired. I'll talk with Baldy tomorrow. Now fuck off."

"Would you like me to delete this conversation from the phone and my own memory, Tatsumaki?"

"Ha. Real funny cyborg." It was awkwardly silent for the next few seconds as the esper slowly realised Genos was being serious. "You know what, don't bother. I doubt Egghead would even check or care, and this gives me a reason to trash you if needed. Now go away."

Genos very carefully put the phone back where it belonged as the call was ended. Whatever Sensei had done, it somehow made Tatsumaki trust even him, at least with this secret. Genos chuckled. Truly, Saitama was a great man. A good one at that.

* * *

 _Some time before_

Time passed by slowly as the two stayed in relative silence, with only the occasional sniff from Tatsumaki. Saitama was thinking of what to say to his girlfriend, while constantly reminding himself to not look at her as some victim in need of pity, but rather someone in need of help. He wanted to look determined. _**"For Tats."**_ he commanded himself.

After what felt like an eternity, Tatsumaki cleared her throat, lifting herself off of Saitama. "The food's getting cold. We should eat."

Saitama nodded in agreement, and was about to walk to the table when the food came flying to him. Sitting down next to his girlfriend, Saitama couldn't help but smile at how Tatsumaki seemed happier as she ate.

"What?" Tatsumaki asked, noticing her boyfriend's smirk.

"Nothing Tats. The pancakes taste great is all."

"Oh... w-well, of course they taste great. I made them." she replied, stuffing down another piece of cake to try and hide the pink on her cheeks.

"I didn't even think you could cook so well."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tatsumaki glared at Saitama. "You think just because I look like a child I can't cook?"

"Eh? No no, nothing like that!" the baldy waved his hands frantically. "I just thought with all the money you probably make you prefer eating out. Cuz you know, cooking takes time."

Tatsumaki looked a bit embarrassed by his response, but she relaxed quickly. "You know how I told you I hate crowds?" Saitama nodded. "I learnt to cook because sometimes I just want time to myself. Besides, I can make as much as I want, however I want."

"So like... you make customised pancakes?"

"Really?" the esper frowned. "We had a moment just a minute ago, and you want to talk about the pancakes I make."

Saitama snickered, causing Tatsumaki to frown even more before they both gave up holding in the laughter.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Saitama took Tatsumaki's hand, interlocking their fingers. "I'll always be there for you Tats. Anytime you want to talk, I'll listen. Whatever you need help with, I'll be there."

"Hmph. As if I'll need your help," she said as she squeezed Saitama's hand, "but I appreciate it." Saitama squeezed back.

"Could we... talk now?"

"If you want. Use as many words as you need to."

* * *

Hey guys, this is a short update to let you know I will be busy for the next few months. This is due to national exams coming up, so future updates will take a while. I am not leaving this story unfinished, I promise that, but I will be giving it less of my time. Sorry!

Also, please let me know what you think of this writing. Someone told me I should write more about what characters are thinking but not in dialogue. I'm not very sure what they meant, but I gave it a try here. Again, be as blunt as you want, I don't mind as long as it helps me improve in some way.

Also, someone else told me to only respond to reviews that have criticisms instead of every review, so yea.

That's really all for now. See you next time.

* * *

the reformist: Yeah, I suppose Saitama wouldn't be the type to pursue a relationship, so I think I'll come up with some explanation in a future chapter. Also, thanks for the suggestions! I'm going to not capitalise ESP from this chapter on. As for doing stuff like "baldy", "blond", it's because I somehow find repeating names over and over slightly annoying. Please tell me if that's just me, and what I'm doing is worse.

R0ck3tFiRe and gwb620: It's back to bite me... as I've explained before, I wanted to make it so they yell at Saitama for stealing an S Class' credit, but watching the anime to get a feel for things made me write it like the original like an idiot. Sorry.

Guest 1: I disagree. Based on how Saitama was affected by both their powers in canon, as in Tatsumaki could lift Saitama while Geryuganshoop could not, Tatsumaki overpowers Ger by a longshot, even if I boost him slightly to have it make sense in this universe.

RachneeBestGirl: I am not shipping King with Mosquito Girl! Why would anyone ship anyone with Mosquito Girl?!

KillingFiendCorp: I suppose I should have a timeline written out for when I'm finally good enough to rewrite this damned story. Thanks for the idea.

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Silver Fang was sipping away at his tea when there was a knock at his door.

"Shishou!" Mutsuko yelled. "There is a call for you!"

"I'll be right there." Bang sighed as he placed his cup down. He just wanted to relax after his exercise.

Mutsuko handed one of those newfangled smartphones to him, and he swiped the green icon, bringing the phone to his ear.

"Silver Fang." Shouta. If he's calling, it must be something bad. Really bad.

"What is it this time Shouta? Another dragon level threat?"

"Worse. Sitch tried to get villains to work for us with the latest news, but..."

"But?"

"One of them managed to put almost everyone out of commission, including the heroes there. He claimed he was a human monster."

"To the point my friend."

"He said that... his name is Garou."

The phone dropped to the floor, cracking the screen.


	27. Chapter 27: Cure for boredom

_"When the time comes, don't expect someone to save you."_

 _The little girl stared at the floor at the man's words. While it may have been true she pleaded for someone to help her the first year, she had gotten less hopeful as time went by. At this point, she already figured out that much for herself._

 _"Do you understand?"_

 _Before she could mutter her confirmation, the man was sent flying, and the resulting sonic boom caused a loud ringing in her head._

* * *

With a groan, Tatsumaki turned off her alarm and headed back to bed. When it became obvious that she was not falling asleep again, she flung her blanket off with a frustrated huff. Sometimes she really hates her job. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she slowly climbed out of bed to start the day. With a few minutes of stretching until she could no longer get the satisfying pops, and her morning snack in hand, the esper flipped on the news channel.

Apparently there wasn't much in terms of monster attacks. In fact, the only thing on the channels as she switched between them was Amai Mask, something about a new movie. She couldn't be bothered to care. Tatsumaki frowned. There had to be some way she could spend her time. Everything she thought of was quickly shut down, and her brain eventually drifted to her boyfriend, but some part of her wanted some other way to quench her boredom. No matter how hard she tried though, once she landed on the idea of bothering Saitama, it didn't go away.

Clicking her tongue in annoyance at her useless brain, Tatsumaki sent a text to Genos, unsure if her boyfriend would even be awake this early and not wanting to be the one to wake him up. She knows the pain of being forced awake after all.

Almost immediately, Genos replied. Rolling her eyes, the esper flipped back to her inbox. At least she could be sure that Genos would be there for her sister if nothing else, not to mention it could be a good indication he's in trouble if he ever failed to reply.

 _'Saitama-Sensei is indeed asleep. I assume you wish to come over?'_

 _'No shit Sherlock.'_ Why else would she ask if Saitama was awake and if he was free.

 _'Saitama-Sensei usually wakes at around 0830. Including his morning routine, he should be ready for you by 0900. I shall have breakfast ready by then, unless you wish to dine alone with him of course.'_

It **would** save her the trouble of donning a disguise. Plus, he can definitely cook. And didn't Saitama want her to try more food outside her comfort zone? _'Whatever. Just make sure it's nothing sour or spicy.'_

 _'Finally growing out of pastries I see.'_

Tatsumaki frowned. Since when did the maid grow a pair? _'I'll fling your stupid metal ass to space if I want to cyborg, and not even Fubuki can save you.'_

 _'I have no doubt you can but I doubt you will.'_

 _'I am pleased to inform you that you are mistaken. Hope to god you're space proof, cyborg.'_

Pleased with the lack of a response, she put her phone down and headed for a bath. As she soaked in the tub, she thought about what she could do today. Half of her gave the automatic response of **_"Kill monsters and save idiotic civilians, duh."_** while the other simply told her **_"Whatever you wanna do, idiot."_** and honestly, she never found it easier to dismiss the working half.

When Tatsumaki got out, she noticed her phone had a notification. As she dried her hair, she read the latest text from Genos and almost dropped her jaw to the floor from the contents of his message.

'凸(- ͜ -)'

Yup. The cyborg is gonna die. And so is Fubuki for teaching him how to do this because there is no way some over serious piece of scrap knows how to emote. Then again, he is kind of a walking computer so maybe... no, definitely Fubuki.

 _'You wanna see space that badly? Because I can arrange a flight today.'_

 _'Not interested. There is a high probability a guest will be coming in later, and Sensei will likely require my help serving refreshments so he does not need to get up.'_

Tatsumaki snorted. _'What's so important that you have to be a maid?'_

 _'Saitama-Sensei will be engaging King in virtual reality combat.'_

Her eyes narrowed at the text. _'King? As in tall blond with a scar King? And since fucking when did we get a VR system?'_

 _'You are correct. And by virtual reality I meant video games. Did I get your hopes up?'_

 _'Fuck you, cyborg.'_ Yes. Yes he did. So much for relieving her boredom.

 _'Perhaps I could forward your interest to the association. It would be practical for heroes to have a form of training beyond the daily slaughter of cannon fodder.'_

 _'Write a fucking essay and make every point one paragraph that have a million words each. They'd love it.'_

 _'I see. I shall get to it. I'll make sure to use the longest synonyms for every word I use to write it, thank you.'_

Tatsumaki chuckled. At least he seemed to have grown a sense of humour, no doubt Fubuki's fault. Maybe he could be more tolerable if they continued to agree on such things. Heck, partners in sass even, along with her sister. That would be fun.

 _'Also, in my honest opinion, you should fuck Sensei instead.'_

Maybe not. With a twitching eye, she copied the cyborg's earlier emoji, and sent it multiple times in hopes it crashes whatever the hell he uses to message.

 _'Did you not deduce from how fast I write these messages that I may be typing elsewhere?'_

 _'What are you even bragging about?'_

 _'Thoughts to text. I've had it installed for convenience. Even if I like the feeling of writing something down physically, this is far more practical.'_

A sea of middle finger emojis were sent to the cyborg, in hopes it crashes **him**.

 _'See you later Tatsumaki.'_ was the reply she received.

The esper glared at the screen, before sighing and flinging the phone onto her couch with her bare hands. Curse Genos and his advanced tech. If this was the ass she had to deal with becoming her brother-in-law, she might live to 50, max. Still, she had to admit that his mouth could rival her. It almost felt like he was the stupid little brother she never had. Not that she'd ever admit it out loud, but it's nice having more... people around her.

It doesn't mean that he'll be spared.

* * *

At exactly 0857, Genos had almost finished preparing breakfast. A simple meal consisting of the fluffiest white rice he could manage, some miso soup with less salt and more seaweed to compensate, Chicken Katsu and some steamed cabbages with carrots. The tea pot was starting to steam and should have sufficient time to cool, and Saitama-Sensei should be out of the bathroom in roughly 3 seconds and would assist him in setting the table. Hopefully, at 0900, Tatsumaki would be knocking at the door, and they could eat when everything is at the perfect temperature. Assuming he calculated correctly of course.

As Saitama stepped out as predicted, proceeding to compliment Genos' cooking once again, and insisted he helped set the table, Genos smiled. All was going to plan. When the clock struck 0900, there was a knock on the door, and Genos went to answer. He opened the door to Tatsumaki glaring at him, and was promptly lifted into the air. Genos' smile faded. Of course he failed to account for Tatsumaki actually being mad at him for his texts. And to think Fubuki told him it would be funny to sass her a little bit, even showing him an example from her past conversations.

"Tats?" Saitama had turned to see who was at the door, his head poking out from the side of the door.

"One second Baldy. Your maid arranged for a trip to space." Tatsumaki answered with a dead serious expression.

"Uh... couldn't it wait till after breakfast?"

On cue, the aroma reached the door way, and Genos was miraculously released, gently enough the floor didn't crack under his weight. The esper crossed her arms with a 'hmph!', and walked past the blond standing up. With a shake of his head, Genos closed the door, and went to join the two, catching a brief glimpse of the smile Saitama gave his girlfriend.

It was full of life, even more so than when there was a massive sale with discounts that stacked with his hero card, and even though it seemed to last less than a second, likely because he didn't want to embarass himself in front of Genos, the blond could tell Tatsumaki saw it too, judging from the tiny rise in temperature of her face. Okay, maybe he was being too invasive of their privacy. Shutting off his unnecessary systems, he sat himself down, ready for the meal that was still at an optimal temperature.

"So what was that all about Tats?" Saitama asks as he takes some of the chicken.

"What," The esper quirks an eyebrow. "you mean your stupid disciple?"

"Yea, what was that about a trip to space?"

"Ask him yourself, _Sensei_." Tatsumaki mockingly imitated, reminding Genos that he messed with his _Sensei's_ girlfriend.

"Uh... please don't start with that too." Saitama asks, clearly missing the tone she used. He turned to face Genos as he scratched his head. "Seriously Genos, what was that about?"

"I... annoyed Tatsumaki with my texts when she asked if you were awake."

To both Genos and Tatsumaki's surprise, the corners of Saitama's mouth quirked slightly. "You were worried you'd wake me up?" he asked.

"S-so what?" Tatsumaki retorted, not expecting such a response.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." Saitama replied, the amused smile still on his face as he turned to address Genos. "Say sorry and promise never to annoy her again dude."

Genos blinked, before doing as Saitama instructed.

" ***Tch***. I'm over it anyway. You're lucky you cook well." Tatsumaki replied, flicking a few grains of rice to his face.

Saitama snickered, and the esper smiled, as if smugly telling Genos she's in charge now.

The cyborg simply took the grains and burned them with a small flame, rolling his eyes at the ridiculous attack.

"Anyway, whatcha doing here Tats?" Saitama asked, drinking some of the soup.

"I'm bored, and the monsters seem to have scurried back to whichever hole they came from. You wanna go do something?"

"Oh. I uh, kinda don't have anything planned though?"

"We could just walk around finding something to do, you know. Apparently people do that."

"Perhaps you two could go shopping." Genos suggested.

"She doesn't like shopping though." Saitama replied. "Too many people, too much noise."

"A movie then."

"There's never anything good on," Tatsumaki wrinkled her nose, "because Amai Mask is all they ever show, and all he stars in are horrible romance films. Oh, and don't forget the damned fans."

Genos hummed, agreeing with the esper. He and Fubuki had to sit through one after all. By the end of it, he felt like burning down the whole theater with all the squealing teens and adults inside it, and especially those that did _more_ than just _squeal_. The only reason he didn't immediately shut off his ears was because Fubuki was dealing with it, and he felt guilty letting her be the only one suffering. At least they had fun ranting to each other about the rabid fans and how bad the movie really was, especially plot wise.

Saitama sighed. "Maybe a walk is a good idea. Would be nice to stretch a bit before I try to beat King for the next few hours."

That gave Tatsumaki an idea. "Actually, could I join?"

"Eh?"

"I'm kind of curious about King. Of the S class, we know the least about him. I could probably figure out his fighting style if I watch the game for a bit."

"Uh..."

"What?" Tatsumaki asked with her brow quirked.

Saitama was pretty sure he just had a mini heart attack, because there was no way in hell he could introduce her to King without completely blowing the guy's cover. Sure, he may be fine with it, even if King supposedly stole his credit, since it didn't really matter to him, but Tatsumaki? Poor guy would be lucky to get out in one piece.

"Sensei must be worried you wouldn't enjoy the games, Tatsumaki." Genos suddenly said.

"Oh! Yeah, that's it! Yea, you probably won't like the game at all." Saitama held his breath, hoping his girlfriend would buy the excuse.

"Why the hell are you acting so secretive?" Ah shit, she didn't buy it.

"I'm not!" Saitama insisted, but Tatsumaki only narrowed her eyes.

"Seriously, it's just some combat game right? It can't be THAT bad."

"Well, yea but-it's uh-it's hard to expla-"

"Unless there's more to it that you aren't telling me..." The esper's eyes suddenly widened. "Egghead... you better be answer me honestly..."

Saitama swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"What degenerate game do you really play with King?"

"Huh?"

"I'm not mad with you or anything, I'm just wondering what could be so embarassing that you'd lie to me. Your _girlfriend_."

Tatsumaki tapped her finger on her arm as she waited for an answer. Saitama was still trying to get over his mini heart attack. Genos simply watched with narrowed eyes, completely done with the situation.

"The truth is, Sensei is embarassed you'd have to watch him lose over and over again to King."

The couple blinked. "What?" they asked in unison.

"While Sensei is superior to King in every way, I concede that King is by far the better fighter with a controller. In the few days they've hung out, Sensei has yet to win a single battle."

Saitama breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking Genos for giving him such a great excuse, blissfully unaware that Genos knows all too well just how far his power eclipses the 'Strongest Man on Earth'.

 ** _"Why Sensei chooses to hide the fact that King has no real strength, I do not know. But as his disciple, I will help him keep the secret, no matter how much it pains me to know he has stolen Sensei's limelight."_**

Tatsumaki stayed silent as she tried to digest what she was hearing. She then took a gulp of her tea, before slowly placing the cup down with a sigh.

"Mr 'I have no qualms throwing my face and dignity into a raging fire because I don't want people disregarding the fallen heroes', is embarassed to let me know that he has not won a single battle in some stupid game."

"I suppose that is another way to put it, yes."

"Uh... does it help if I say it might be because my feelings are back?" Saitama asked, still afraid Tatsumaki wouldn't fall for it.

"Fuck it." the esper shook her head, "I don't care, as long as I have something to do."

"Oh. Okay I guess." Saitama inwardly cheered.

"I shall let King know we have an additional player today." Genos stated, walking off with his phone in hand, leaving the couple to themselves.

"So..." Saitama awkwardly started. "How've you been?"

Tatsumaki shrugged. "Fine, I guess."

"Good night's sleep?"

"Not really. Better I guess, but not amazing."

Saitama hummed in response. "I guess it's kinda normal, since you need time to get used to the new thing."

"Ha. You say that like you know."

Saitama simply shrugged, and pointing at his heart he simply replied "I think I do."

They gave each other a tiny smile, ans it meant a lot to them both.

When Genos had yet to return, Saitama looked up from his now empty bowl, calling the esper who was focusing on her phone.

"Taaaats." he drawled when she didn't acknowledge him the first time.

"Huh?"

"I was gonna ask you what Genos did to tick you off, but now I'm more interested by what's on your mind."

Tatsumaki frowned. "It's not normal for there to not be any alerts. It's like they collectively decided to retreat."

"Eh, the quiet is nice though."

"It's too quiet. I don't like it."

On cue, Genos returned with a scowl he usually reserves for monsters, and the gut feeling Tatsumaki had got worse tenfold.

"Genos? What's up?"

"After I contacted King, the association called me. I have an assignment."

"They called you but not me?" Tatsumaki asked.

"According to them, it is far too miniscule a threat for anyone but the, and I quote, newbie. They wanted to call Sensei too, but I told them not to waste his time over something unworthy of his power."

"Hmph. Anything would be better than nothing."

"I could use some stretching too Genos. Lay it on us." Saitama stretched his legs out, using his hands to support him as he laid back a bit.

"I suppose King wouldn't be here until the afternoon... Very well. A member of the association wishes for us to protect his daughter while we find her missing cat."

The smallest bit of excitement Tatsumaki had dropped from her face as she fell on her back with a groan. Saitama laughed, and picked lifted her back up, as she continued trying to replicate death.

"Tats, c'mon. There's more to being a hero than smashing monsters."

"But it'll be soooo boring!" she yelled. "Why would anyone even need protection for finding a damn CAT?"

"Apparently, the last place the cat was seen happens to be where a captive monster escaped to." Genos narrowed his eyes. "A foolish decision really, raising a monster."

"Welcome to the association cyborg. 99% of the higher ups are braindead." Tatsumaki murmured.

"In any case, we are to meet with the girl soon." Genos brought up his phone. "I'll let King know to take his time. You two should get ready." he walked off, the whir of his core getting louder, hungry for battle.

Saitama pushed himself off the floor with a grunt. He grabbed his costume and was about to take his pyjamas off when he hesitated, before walking to the bathroom hastily. Tatsumaki chuckled at how red his face became once the baldy shut the door.

* * *

It didn't take very long to find the girl thanks to Genos. Apparently when he threatens the idiots at the association, they can actually give accurate and downright specific information. With coordinates, a description of the girl, and even an actual photo of exactly which shop she'd be waiting at, it was stupidly easy.

When she got over the fact that the 'Super cool Demon Cyborg' and 'Super duper awesome Tornado of Terror' were her escorts, the girl, Akiko, showed them a very crude drawing of a 'cute' white cat with a blue collar, completely ignoring Saitama until he commented on how useless that image is with all the cats running around.

When it was clear to her that he was a hero too, albeit one she somehow never heard of, much to Saitama's displeasure, she threatened to have him fired, and his nonchalant response only resulting in bawling her eyes out, which ended with her riding his shoulders. It was extremely amusing to Tatsumaki.

"Wait wait, so you're the one that's dating Tornado-Sama?!" Akiko exclaimed

"You can call her Tatsumaki you know." Saitama replied flatly. "And yea, that's me."

Akiko squinted at him, before shaking her head. "I thought you'd be more handsome."

Tatsumaki snorted, and Genos was about to scold the girl when Saitama waved him off, saying he doesn't mind.

"I am pretty lucky she would want to date me after all."

Tatsumaki rolled her eyes with a smile. **_"Luck has nothing to do with it, idiot."_**

"You bet, you're lucky!" Akiko pouted. She turned to face Tatsumaki. "What do you even see in him Tatsumaki-sama? Can I call you Tatsumaki-sama?"

Normally the esper would have avoided the kid because she never really liked children, but somehow, her patience has yet to waver.

"Tatsumaki is fine. As for what I see in him... A lot I guess."

"Like what?"

"I would normally be happy if more people know how great Saitama-Sensei is," Genos interrupted, "but I am detecting something nearby. I suggest we bring Akiko to safety." his eyes glowed as they narrowed. " ** _Immediately._** "

Saitama nodded in understanding, and was about to run somewhere when a feral growl resonated through the streets, and Akiko yelped in fear, gripping onto his chromedome.

With a frown, Saitama tapped Tatsumaki on the shoulder. "Hey Tats, take care of Genos and... uh, her for a sec."

The esper looked at him inquisitively as he patted the now floating kid, before disappearing into the alley. The sound of a fist connecting with flesh, followed by a pained growl and the splatter of what Tatsumaki recognised as guts and blood caused her to facepalm. She wanted the fun of dispatching a monster, no matter how small.

Saitama reappeared from the alley almost immediately, dusting off what looked like a mix of fur and blood from his suit, complaining about what it would take to clean it. Tatsumaki conked him on the head to shut him up, before with a flick of her hand, removed all the mess from his suit and into the air, allowing Genos to burn it all. Akiko seemed to enjoy the light show, giggling as she clapped.

For some reason though, Genos had yet to relax, and the whir of his core only got louder. Saitama shot him a questioning look, and Genos frowned.

"The man described the monster he raised as something far larger. Coupled with the fact it was supposedly pregnant..."

The ground suddenly shook, and the roar that followed was much, **_much_** louder. With a grin, Tatsumaki cracked her knuckles, her hair begining to float.

 **"This one's mine."** she menacingly stated.

"Oh. Alright." Saitama held on to Akiko more tightly. "We'll go find the missing cat. Have fun Tats."

Genos blinked at his Sensei's dismissal of the monster, but followed nonetheless. Akiko gave the esper some encouragement, and returned to holding the shiny head of her escort.

Some time later, the heroes were running after Akiko, who had jumped off Saitama with a squeal after he directed her attention to a white cat with a blue collar. They were joined by a noticeably disappointed Tatsumaki a few minutes later when they found a pair of kittens the cat, Torako according to the screaming Akiko, led them to.

"How was the monster Tats?" Saitama asked the esper.

"It wasn't tough. At all. Demon at most I think, but it was better than nothing." She replied with folded arms as she watched Akiko pounce around Genos who was, very awkwardly, trying not to hurt the felines who were attracted to him or rather, Tatsumaki thought, the heat he emitted.

"Pfft. Cheater." Tatsumaki gave Saitama a questioning look when she heard him mutter. "Animals don't seem to like me, but the instant they see him, it's all cuddles and purrs. Not fair." the baldy joked, and Tatsumaki chuckled.

"Akiko, please get cat's litter off me." Genos deadpanned, as one arm moved out of the way for one of the kittens to climb up him, while the other stayed perfectly still for the other already clinging onto him like a tree branch. Akiko did nothing but laugh in response as she continued stroking Torako.

Tatsumaki considered relieving Genos of the two little bundles of fur, but when he looked at her with pleading eyes like he thought the same, she decided that this was great punishment for his earlier texts. Plus it was highly amusing to her, and she seriously considered taking a video of it, but Saitama beat her to the punch. Genos couldn't say no to his Sensei, so he allowed the bullshittery with a pout.

Not exactly what she had in mind when she wanted to cure her boredom, but compared to slaughtering weak monsters, it was satisfying in its own way. As they walked Akiko back home, Tatsumaki found herself petting the kittens, who were sleeping in Genos' arms, after Saitama cooed over them for 5 minutes straight, repeatedly asking her to do just that. They were stupidly soft and furry, and she might have cracked a smile when one of them put her hand in between their tiny paws.

* * *

Some time later, they were back in Saitama's apartment. Genos was cleaning the dishes whilst Saitama was sprawled on the floor reading manga. Tatsumaki sat near him, occasionally looking away from her phone to see what her boyfriend was reading, asking questions about the weird characters she sees, and Saitama happily answered.

Turns out he really likes 'shounen' manga, and he likes to imagine fighting the characters from said manga. It's nothing compared to the thrill of a real battle like before his training made him ridiculously strong, but it works a bit. Tatsumaki considered that for a moment because some of the characters he described did seem like worthy adversaries. Maybe she could try that when times are desperate.

At some point, she had scootched nearer the baldy who was sitting upright now, and was showing off all the art. She had to admit, the drawings did look fantastic. Hearing her approval, Saitama gave her a few names of the mangas and animes he likes, suggesting those for whenever she gets bored. He did complain about how a lot of the stories get dragged on for far too long, which results in the series going stale, but he also clarified that they are amazing early on. Amidst the conversation, knocking came from the door, and Genos opened it to reveal King in his usual disguise of a hoodie and cap, carrying a plastic bag with a bunch of stuff for gaming. He gave Tatsumaki a curt greeting, and she responded similarly.

King started setting up his console without another word, and Tatsumaki could hear the 'King Engine', which she still thought to be a ridiculous name, slowly get louder. Which was weird, because didn't he usually reserve it for combat? Does he really treat the games that seriously? She watched as Saitama picked through a few of the cases in the plastic bag, before finally settling on one that had characters in ridiculous poses that looked more aesthetic than practical combat. He cheerfully told King they'd play that game, and that he'd totally wreck the blonde. She heard Genos give a soft sigh, and she wondered justhow bad it could be.

And then Tatsumaki had the pleasure of watching the slaughter.

Saitama didn't win, not even once. And as far as she could tell, he barely lasted 30 seconds for most fights, only managing the last one for so long because he apparently used some cheap technique, which consisted of his character repeatedly doing low kicks against King's. Even then, he got one shotted with an excessively flashy move. He slumped over in defeat with a groan, and Tatsumaki's interest peaked.

"I want a go."

Saitama promptly rose from the dead with his eyes wide and his jaw dropped. "Eh? You wanna play?"

She shrugged in response. "I mean, you seem excited about it, so how bad could it be?"

"Alright!" Saitama exclaimed. "King, give her your controller, I wanna be her first opponent!"

After showing her the controls, and letting her have a look through the combos available, she settled on what was supposed to be the basic character for new players, according to Saitama. It resulted in her losing 2 battles, before kicking the shit out of Saitama for the rest. He ended up flaring so hard he threw his controller, which she managed to catch before it hit the nearby wall. His frustration quickly dissolved though, being replaced by laughter as he praised her for being so badass, and insisted she could take on King.

Not one to deny a fight, she handed the controller she caught to the tall blonde, who took Saitama's seat, the baldy relocating behind Tatsumaki. The rounds started off like Saitama's, barely lasting 30 seconds, but once she got more used to the controls, and found a pattern in King's playstyle, she managed to drag it into overtime, and with her adrenaline pumping, she almost ended up victorious, but a 12 hit combo ended up winning the game for King. She did feel disappointed of course, her pride sustaining a hit, but King's near silent "Well played." and the loud cheering from her boyfriend improved her mood. No wonder Saitama seemed so excited when he played. She could still feel her heart beating.

"My girlfriend's a beast! She'll beat your ass in no time King!" Saitama said in between laughs.

King only grunted. "I hope so dude. That was the most fun I've had in a while."

Tatsumaki couldn't help but feel smug.

"Sensei," Genos said with a smile, glad that Saitama was happier than before, "I believe there is a phrase for that. Something like 'She's beauty, she's grace, she'll fling you into space.', if I remember what Fubuki told me correctly."

Saitama laughed even harder. "Oh man, totally! She'll fling you into space dude! Hahaha!"

After a few hours of playing different types of games, and lunch courtesy of Genos, Tatsumaki was pretty sure her boredom was cured. She felt plenty satisfied, and was about to head home with a smile on her face when Fubuki knocked on Saitama's door, a very injured Charanko beside her.

Life is a bitch, and she forgot that fact amidst all the fun.

* * *

Here we go motherfuckers.

Okay, so a few things because I gotta get this done quick, I'm thinking of skipping the tournament arc, because apart from setting things up in the Manga, it's pointless, and because of some changes I made, it's ridiculous to squeeze it in. Sorry for anyone who might've been excited about it. Maybe once the whole *spoiler* arc is done, I'll give it a shot.

Also, some of my friends found out about me writing this thing, and basically blackmailed me to continue the webcomic, so once I find free time, I'll probably give that a shot. Maybe. Also, I've been unhealthily binge reading a lot of fanfiction on both this site and AO3 to improve my English, and I've come to the conclusion that I want to write more than One Punch man. Considering the time I have thanks to this month being a holiday, I might start putting some time into that, in addition to continuing this fic.

Just letting you all know in case I suddenly upload new stories because I don't want the awkward 'Are you quitting this?' question being asked. Anyway, I'm off. Hope this chapter was worth the _weight_.

And this is my last time answering the meteor arc question: I did a stupid and wrote wrong and am too lazy to fix due to planning on rewriting the whole series soon, so I'm sorry, but it's gonna be there for eternity. I'm probably going to burn in hell for this.

* * *

Again, only replying to critique/suggestions because of complaints of this being too long. If you want to ask me questions about where this is headed, etc, feel free to PM me.

GunBlade2018: That's what I've been told, so here's another chapter that's stupidly long.

Boundsoul341: That's good. Hopefully this chapter is okay too.

Guest: I like to believe that Saitama can tell when someone's a serious threat, so he just lets Tatsumaki do it because hey, she ain't gonna kill ya, and you probably did something to deserve it.

Yukalight: I have never dated before, which is normal for 16 year old Singaporeans because there's enough stress from our studies. All of this is advice I got from family and friends, etc, as well as reading stories that don't make me cringe and, surprisingly, tumblr and pinterest. Thanks for the suggestion on what to research, it's given me something to look into.

I'm glad you didn't find Saitama too OOC, because I kinda expected a lot more complaints about em making him feel again, which is like a big 'fuck you' to his character. And yea, I agree after reading that chapter that it does feel a bit rushed. Probably could improve that in the rewrite. And yea, love/hate for cliffhangers. It feels good to be on the giving end of it and not the receiving :D

Void of Iniquity: Hopefully the pacing isn't too bad here then.

watches when you sleep: Sounds like a good idea for once the whole *spoiler* arc is over. Might use it.

*Continues reading and eyes land on the last sentence*

(-_-')


	28. Chapter 28

"He's usually so gentle, but he kicked all of our asses today. Then he just... expelled us."

Tatsumaki stayed silent as Charanko explained what he was doing here. In the years she and Fubuki spent with Bang, she doesn't remember him ever being harsh to his students. Not even when he had to kick _him_ out. Hell, Charanko looks like someone's personal punching bag. What could have caused him to do something so drastic?

"At first I didn't know what to do, then Mutsuko told me to find the bald guy." Charanko pointed to Saitama, who winced at his description. "I didn't know where to start, but then I remembered Fubuki knows ya."

"Why me?" Saitama asks.

"Uh... Mutsuko thought you'd be able to convince Shishou to take us back. Dunno why."

"Why didn't the others come instead?" Genos asks. "They are by far the better choice." he bluntly states, not caring if the statement would hurt Charanko's feelings.

"They said something about finding out what happened?"

"I thought no one in the association likes them though." Fubuki interjects. "At least, don't trust them just because they're monsters. I doubt they'd get anything."

"True." Genos puts a hand to his chin. "Perhaps we should contact them, save them the trip. It's more likely for one of us to get an answer."

"Oh, maybe they went to ask the Takoyaki guy!" Saitama exclaims like he just made a revelation, but it only confuses everyone else.

"What are you-What Takoyaki guy?" Tatsumaki asks, her brow raised.

"The guy who made them, he makes Takoyaki now, some kinda charity."

That... raises more questions than answers, and Tatsumaki facepalms internally. A real wise guy, her boyfriend. Goes from someone respectable to this in one day. Maybe kicking his ass at video games broke him.

"Why do you think Genus would have information, Sensei?" Genos asks for her.

"He was hired by the association, and he knows that guy who-" Saitama's eyes narrow, and he hesitates before continuing "interviewed me."

 ** _"...Shouta you_** ** _mother fucker." _**Tatsumaki curses to herself. Of course the morons hire the criminal they've been chasing. Fucking Takoyaki is probably poisonous and egghead is somehow immune and doesn't know it. Why didn't Shouta tell her? It's not like he sanctioned it, right?

She glances to Genos, who suddenly looks ready to kill a man, and she isn't sure if she wants to stop him considering he entered a relationship earlier and likely knows exactly what Saitama meant by 'interviewed'.

Fubuki makes the choice for her, grabbing Genos by the arm. His eyes somehow narrow further when Fubuki shakes her head at him, and even then Tatsumaki can see the movement in those 'irises' perfectly. He drops his glare and sighs.

"Sensei, I will punish the imbeciles severely-" Fubuki scowls at him, " _v_ _erbally_ , for invading your privacy and insinuating you could be anything but heroic. For now though, I will spare them, if only so they give us answers more willingly."

Her sister facepalms at that, muttering something about Genos being the most stubborn bastard in the universe. Genos seems to pick up on it too, shooting Fubuki an apologetic look.

"Uh..." Saitama replies as he rubs his neck. "the guy who asked me stuff didn't look like he wanted to, so don't go murdering em with your mouth, k?"

"But-"

Fubuki pressed a hand against his mouth, and steals one of his signature glares. It shuts him up. Tatsumaki almost smiles with pride.

"Guys."

King suddenly spoke up, and all eyes faced him. He slowly lifted his head from the phone in his hand, turning it around for the others to see.

"Maybe it has something to do with this." He stated, the King Engine getting louder.

Monster association kidnapped an executive's child.

Self proclaimed 'human monster' Garou on the loose.

Your assistance is required.

For a moment, Tatsumaki was catatonic. Then her blood started to boil, and her face contorted with anger. Not only was she not contacted about this, but a name she never wanted to see or hear again is somehow involved? Her eye twitched, and her powers activated, ready to blow up whatever came between her and her prey.

Comforting hands suddenly intertwined with hers, and she stopped seeing red, now aware of Saitama calling her with a worried expression on his face.

"Tats calm down. What's wrong?"

She couldn't respond.

"Come on, you look like you're about to kill someone." Saitama gently tugged her sleeve.

"I'm definitely killing someone." Tatsumaki growled as she levitated herself back down.

"Is that... who I think it is?" Fubuki muttered. Tatsumaki nodded in confirmation.

"Shit," Charanko gulped. "it's really him?"

"Who?" Saitama asks.

"That fucking bastard." Tatsumaki responds. "Garou."

"Uhm. I never heard of him."

"He... was Jii-san's best disciple." Fubuki hesitantly answered, knowing full well how close to the edge her sister gets at the mention of Garou. In fact, if it weren't for Saitama holding her hand, she likely would have caused quite a few casualties by now.

" _Was?_ " Genos repeats like a moron despite his analytical self, completely ignoring the tension in the air. Fubuki braces herself for whatever her sister was about to do. But nothing came.

Saitama felt Tatsumaki's grip tighten.

"There was... there was an incident." Charanko continued. He knew from past experiences to tread lightly around this subject.

Genos seemed to get the gist of it, nodding at the vague explanation. That, or he finally realised that Tatsumaki was not willing to discuss it.

Saitama glanced at Tatsumaki when he felt her hand shaking. She was taking really deep breaths, eyes shut tight as her free hand clenched and unclenched repeatedly. And she wouldn't. Stop. _Shaking._ He did what his instincts insisted and threw the cape of his costume over her, glad that not bothering to change out of it was useful for once.

Tatsumaki faced Saitama with eyebrows raised when she felt the cape droop over her. He simply shrugged, pulling his cape, and subsequently her, closer. She couldn't be bothered trying to fight it, having focused herself on controlling her temper, so she let herself rest on her boyfriend's shoulder. A small comfort, but she appreciated it nonetheless and grumbled to tell him so.

At such a sight, Charanko did a fantastic job imitating a goldfish, his finger pointing questioningly at the couple as he looked to Fubuki for an answer as to how and why this was happening, and if he was simply dreaming all of this, all without speaking a word.

Fubuki, unable to read minds, only gave an apologetic shrug. "Sorry, recent development so I forgot to tell you."

"You got a problem, mophead?" Tatsumaki demanded, raising a finger as a threat.

"W-what?! No! I just-since when?" Charanko stammered, shaking his head vigorously with his hands up.

"None of your business."

"But-"

"That's final." She glowed green momentarily, but stopped when Saitama squeezed her hand. Moving her head back to where it was, she sighed, rolling her eyes when Saitama smiled softly at her.

"It's getting late." King suddenly stood, the King Engine roaring to life. "I should get going."

"I suppose I should go too." Fubuki stands with the unnecessary help of Genos, holding her by the arm like she's his grandmother.

"I will escort Fubuki home, Sensei. I shall be back in time to prepare dinner." Genos states, completely ignoring Fubuki trying to yank him off her and punching his arm.

"I swear to god, let me go or I'll make you, **borgy**!" Fubuki threatens to no avail. She gives Saitama a look, hoping he understands.

"Yea, listen to your girlfriend dude. I think she can walk on her own." He thankfully does.

"Of course Sensei." Genos finally lets go. "And please do not call me borgy, **buki**."

"Ugh, get out of my sights, both of you." Tatsumaki grimaces, her eyes shut while she sticks her tongue out mockingly, as if she just consumed a bottle's worth of syrup.

King basically bolted out, followed by Charanko, while Fubuki stopped by the door to put on her boots, Genos standing by the side like some kind of castle guard. Noticing her sister didn't follow, Fubuki turned around.

"You aren't coming?"

"I'll stay for a bit."

Fubuki smirks before leaving the apartment with Genos behind her. She takes the time to lecture him about treating her like some fragile ancient artifact, and he gives a lame excuse about it being proper etiquette. Truly a magnificent specimen of old teachings in a very modern person in terms of tech and fashion.

With everyone gone, the couple sit in a companionable silence. After some time, Tatsumaki had calmed down almost completely, partially thanks to the surprisingly relaxing bobbing of Saitama's shoulder. She might've fallen asleep, were it not for his constant nagging at her to go home.

"Do you just want me gone, baldy?"

"Never. I just think you shouldn't sleep here." Saitama explains.

"Yea? Why is that."

"C'mon, it's a dump. My apartment ain't good enough for ya Tats."

"Mm. But you are."

"Eh, arguable."

Tatsumaki scoffs. "No it's not."

"Yea it-"

"No, and that's final."

"Ok."

Minutes later, Saitama has yet to nag again. Tatsumaki sighs.

"Don't tell anyone I said this baldy, but I trust you. That's why you're good enough. Better than good enough. Fucking deal with it."

"...Thanks Tats."

"Don't mention it. Literally. Don't tell anyone or else."

Saitama goes back to smiling, and the esper relaxes against his shoulder again. It's only later when Saitama ruins the silence once more.

"Tats? Can I, uhm. Can I put my arm around you?"

"Huh? Why are you asking?"

"Cuz I dunno what you're comfortable with. And I wanna be comfy."

"Pshh. You're ridiculous. Whatever, go ahead."

Saitama does so, pulling her closer to him. She readjusts to a more comfortable position, humming in content when she finds the sweet spot.

"Hey Tats?"

"What."

"I'm serious, don't fall asleep here. I only have two futons. One for Genos and mine is bad."

"I'm not gonna fall asleep." Tatsumaki insists, annoyed by his nagging.

"If you say so."

"...Hey Saitama."

"Hm?"

"Thanks for askin'."

"No probs Tats."

Her full weight lays against him, and she begins to snore. Saitama sighs. At least she sounds... less sad than when she first fell asleep in his arms. With a chuckle, he carefully carries her piggyback, willing himself to remember where she lived. He returned much later than planned, having spent quite some time getting to Tatsumaki's apartment, trying not to wake her up, tucking her into bed and having to sit by her side when she clung onto him. So late that Genos had dinner prepared and was waiting patiently at the table.

"Why did you wait dude?" Saitama asks, sitting himself down to a bowl already prepared.

"It was Sensei who taught me that food tastes better with others." Genos explains.

"Tastes better fresh too dude."

"I suppose. By the way Sensei, I'm curious what took you so long."

"Had to get Tats home dude."

"I figured that much, Sensei. But I know you are much faster than the speed of sound. What kept you?"

"Eh. When someone asks you to stay with them in their sleep you can't exactly leave."

"Oh." Genos blinks. "Apologies Sensei. I did not mean to intrude on your love life. Had I known you and Tatsumaki were intimate I-"

"What the f-dude no! She fell asleep here and I had to carry her home. She linda latched onto me when I was about to leave and asked me not to leave her alone. In her sleep. Got it?"

Genos blinks again. "I see. I am sorry, Saitama-Sensei."

"Whatever. Eat up dude."

"Yes Sensei."

After that awkward conversation, the last thing he needed was King's text proclaiming how cute he and Tatsumaki were, and that he's inspired to write a fanfiction about it. He knows exactly how kinky King is after all, having stumbled onto him while he was writing. He texts him to drop the idea, before tossing his phone to the side.

She may be comfortable now, but she won't be later when she realises how dead inside he really is.

With a smack to the head, Saitama retracts that thought. No, he isn't dead emotionally. That much was proven to him the day he fell for Tatsumaki. He promised to be her shoulder to lean on, how could he be when he's already dismissing himself?

 ** _"That's right. More confidence in yourself. For Tats."_**

With a resolute nod, Saitama goes to sleep. This Garou guy is gonna get his ass kicked.

* * *

I would've had this up 24 hours earlier if FF mobile didn't screw me over by deleting it.

I'm going to make shorter updates to make things easier for me and so I don't upload every once in 2 months. Not gonna respond to reviews or have A/N in every one, too short to justify it.

Hope you enjoy.

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"You're not a fan of mine?"

"Help me become a true **monster**." He demanded with a smile.


	29. Chapter 29

She was already on the verge of tearing up as she ran through the hallway of the hospital. Pushing open the door to see Mumen in a full body cast was the straw that brokw the camel's back, and the tears came flooding. Yet, even in a full body cast, Mumen somehow managed to radiate pure sunlight, and she stopped crying quite quickly.

"But man, that hero hunter guy was quite tough. Even took down Tank Top Master." Mumen commented, turning his head to the bed beside him.

"He was a different kind of power, Mumen." The S class replied. "He was skilled. And that technique... he was a student of Silverfang's, no doubt."

"Mm. He'll be tough to take down."

"So what now, Mumen? You can't possibly go out there if he's still on the loose." Nozomi placed her hand on Mumen's. "I wouldn't let you."

"I'm sorry for making you worry," The C class said, "but as heroes we can't just let a bad guy go."

"Let the others deal with it so you can focus on recovering, Mumen!"

"But-"

"She is right my friend." Tank Top Master interupted. "It is best you recover quickly. We can't afford to lose a hero as genuine as you." He bowed his head as much as his own casts would allow. "And I again apologise for hitting you with my attack."

"Ah! It's alright, y-you don't have to!"

"Wait, he did what?"

"Nothing! It was an accident, and it was my fault for not thinking properly anywa-"

"I am to blame. That is the truth, Mumen Rider, Miss Nozomi. I will take responsibility for my actions. And please, call me Hideo."

"I... am not winning this arguement, am I?"

Nozomi laughed weakly "No, you aren't. Hey, didn't you say there's some kind of healing potion thingy? Why haven't they used it yet?"

"Uh. I'm guessing they ran out?"

"With so many heroes injured, I wouldn't be surprised." Hideo flinched, now very aware his pain was returning as the ran its course. "I'll make sure they prioritise you over me. You deserve it."

"Thanks... but I still can't rest knowing that Garou guy is still out there."

"Why not call that friend of yours? The Saitama guy? You said he's strong, right?" Nozomi suggested.

"Saitama?" Hideo's eyebrows quirked up, "S class Caped Baldy, boyfriend of Tornado of Terror, Saitama?"

"Yeah." Mumen blushed. "I don't think I'm really his friend or anything. I'm just a C class he saved who bought dinner in return."

"Nonsense! Who wouldn't want you as their friend you ball of sunshine? No talking down yourself, you hear?"

"A-ah. Of course Nozomi."

"Where'd they put your phone?" Nozomi asked as sge started checking the drawers next to Mumen's bed. "I'll call him so you can rest."

"It... It's uhm. Uh."

Nozomi came to a realisation and face palmed. "Right. An attack. You remember his number?"

Mumen told her the number to dial, and it began to ring, so at least she knows he hasn't suffered a concussion bad enough to land him in a similar state to her. She put the call on speaker mode so that Mumen could help her ask the Saitama guy, but what she didn't expect was the cold, deep, and straight up _threatening_ voice of Demon Cyborg to respond.

"Unknown number, most likely a salesperson. Saitama Sensei is not interested in your wares. Hang up, or I'll personally **make you**."

"Ah, Demon Cyborg? It's Mumen, my girlfriend's using her phone to call since mine got deatroyed. I need to speak to Saitama urgently, is he there?"

A somewhat familiar nasally voice came from the other side, muffled. _**"That's weird"**_ Nozomi thinks to herself, _**"where have I heard that voice?"**_

"Sensei is indeed here. I shall put this conversation on speaker."

"Mumen? S'that you?" The familiar voice is clearer now.

"Saitama! I was attacked by the hero hunter, along with Tank Top Master! I wanted to warn you that he knows the Fist of... uh. S class rank 3's martial arts. Be careful!"

"Whoa, wait, the Garou guy? You okay dude?" She can't quite place it.

"I'm fine, Saitama. Just please, be careful. He's really tough."

"Eh, we figured that much. I'm strong too though, so no worries. I'll avenge ya buddy, get well soon."

"Saita-" the call ended, and Nozomi received a text the instant they hung up, and it's Demon Cyborg apologising for the abrupt cut due to his Sensei's frugality, and that he'd like details about Garou. She shows the text to Mumen and Hideo.

She's wondering though, where she heard that Saitama guy before. Was it on the tele? No, definitely not. The video of the carnival incident Mumen told her about? No, she only watched part of it, and there was no voice from then. Maybe from before she lost her memories?

"Nozomi?"

She snaps back to reality to find Mumen staring at her with a worried expression.

"Is something bothering you, Nozomi?"

"Nothing..." she replies "I just. I thought I remembered aomething."

"Oh dear. Maybe I'm stressing you out too much. Go home and rest Nozomi, I'll be back before you know it."

She opens her mouth to argue, but Mumen shoots her such a sweet smile she can't find it in herself to say no.

"Fine, later. I am so going to cuddle the life out of you when you're back."

Mumen turns bright red, much to her amusement, and Tank Top Master chuckles along with her at how easily embarrassed he is. They began to chat a bit, about why Mumen became a hero in the first place. She's heard this before, about how he always wanted to help others, and about how he was heavily influenced by a student in the same year as him.

He was attacked by bullies when he tried to help someone they were targeting, and they defaced his bicycle. While they tried to rob him, the boy that inspired him just walked up and asked that they stop, redirecting their attention to him. He took a beating which seemed to satisfy them, and they stormed off immediately afterwards, completely forgetting about Mumen's pocket money. Mumen wanted to thank the other student, but he fainted before he could.

When he came to, he was in the sick bay, and the nurse told him he was brought in by the boy who simply walked away afterwards, only stating that he can't be late for class. When he was deemed fit by the nurse to leave, he found his bicycle, all cleaned up waiting for him, with a note attached that just said "get well soon" in big, untidy handwriting.

It wasn't the act itself that was inspiring, but rather the fact that the student didn't even leave his name. He didn't get any thanks for it, and as far as Mumen could tell, he wasn't praised for it. There was nothing said about it, and the principal didn't do the usual of having the boy up on stage to receive an award and recognition like Mumen did once. He acknowledges that it could just be him placing someone he deemed his idol on a high pedestal, but he was sure that the boy only did such a thing because it was right. That was what inspired him to become a hero. The Hero Association just became his way of getting the news of who needs help.

Hideo nodded sagely at the story. "If only more in the association are like that student. Did you figure out who he is?"

Mumen shakes his head. "Sadly, no. I never saw him again after that. Maybe he dropped out, or maybe fate just never wanted us to meet again. I don't know."

"Didn't your school have a yearbook of some kind?" Nozomi asks.

Mumen again shakes his head, frowning. "My school just happened to be low on funds that year, so the yearbook didn't have photographs of the classes. The year after, they cut out the yearbook entirely and just posted photos of awards students received online."

"Damn. That's so coincidental I could swear a higher power was messing with you."

Mumen just nods before asking Tank Top Master to share his story. If she didn't know him, she'd say he wanted to avoid the subject, but she's pretty sure it's actually because he feels guilty he didn't try harder to find the boy, now likely a man if he had not died to the constant monster attacks... Nah, good people don't die, karma exists, and Mumen is walking proof.

Nozomi wishes both men well, before leaving the room. Along the way, she spots a bald man in a hoodie, and gets a small chuckle out of the design. It feels nice, being able to laugh despite what happened to Mumen. Maybe his optimism is crawling its way into her blood.

Good, she could use some of it.

* * *

A sudden rise in SaiTatsu stories on the site. More distractions ahoy!

No seriously though, just another three months or so until the damned national exams are over. I'll stop being so lazy then.


	30. Chapter 30, Pt 1

_"Damn it Baldy, you are NOT going to enter some dumb tournament!"_

"But-"

 _"And especially NOT for such a dumb reason!"_

Genos continued to watch deadpan as the couple argued to and fro, eyes only narrowing ever so slightly in frustration as time passed by. It seemed as though by arguing whether or not Saitama entering a martial arts tournament for the sake of seeing just what was so fancy about martial arts was a waste of time, was in itself a massive waste of time. The irony appeared to be lost on the couple though, as they continued to justify their views with valid reasons over a video call.

 _"What good is there to knowing something about martial arts when you can do more with a flick of your finger you damned baldy?"_

That was true.

"I just wanna know what's the difference the strengths Tats! That shirt guy said he used to beat stuff in one punch, just like me, and that he got beaten by the Gario guy cuz he was more skillful. Don't you think that's sorta cool?"

Also true?

With a frustrated sigh, Tatsumaki pinched the bridge of her nose. _"You punch. He punches with a bit more thought behind it. End of story!"_

"Okay, but what makes it so he can beat someone stronger than him? I'm curious!"

"Sensei," Genos interrupts, having had enough, "say an opponent was equal to you in strength, speed and endurance. It comes down to who is smarter, who can predict the other's moves, and who can plan ahead to counter the counter, etcetera." he says, knowing full well how overly simplified his explanation is.

"Oh. Well, when you put it that way-"

 _"It makes no difference how skilled he is since you're basically that much better though, does it?_ " Tatsumaki glares at Saitama. _"Now do you see what I meant?"_

"... Yea. Okay."

 _"Good."_ She folds her arms with a smug smile.

Genos sighs again. In such times, they still have the ability to bicker? A couples thing he supposed, though he doesn't remember having such issues with Fubuki. It was all chats about their respective pasts and trying to help each other deal with their own oddly similar yet different issues.

His phone suddenly vibrates, attracting the attention of the squabbling duo.

"What is it now- ... I see. Of course."

"Genos? What's up dude?"

"A rise in monster attacks, Sensei. I am to clean up City C."

"Oh. Cool, good luck dude."

 _"You're not going with?"_ Tatsumaki asks.

"Nah, Genos' got it covered. Whaddabout you Tats? Aren't you always bored of having nothing to do?"

 _"I mean..."_ she sighs, _"Fine. See ya Baldy."_ They wave at each other before the call is ended.

"Sensei, are you sure you don't want to come? Perhaps defeating a few monsters will increase your rank."

"Nah man. I have an idea." Saitama picks up a game he _totally borrowed_ from King, the cover proclaiming in an excessively loud font _**"ROAD COMBAT"**_

Genos decides that a fight is just what he needs at this point, and leaves the building, wishing his Sensei good luck in his goal of figuring out martial arts.

* * *

Having cleaned the city of pests, and a literal walking pest in the form of some humanoid cockroach, the last thing he expected was to be embedded into the ground like a ragdoll by a monster so fast he couldn't even pick up what it was, much less see it. And to think it was only a while ago when Fubuki confronted him when he almost lost to a demon level and mouthed out loud how useless he felt. With another blow to his confidence, he signals for a repair drone.

 _ **"To be so weak that I couldn't even see what took me down,"**_ he scowled, _**"Am I really so pathetic?"**_ he wondered, frustrated at himself.

At this rate, will he ever have the strength to take down the mad cyborg? Does he even have the strength to protect those around him? Or is he just the same useless boy who sat by doing nothing as his town was obliterated, as those he loved were torn to shreds in front of his eyes? How could he call himself a hero, when he couldn't even deal with a _cockroach_ without resorting to underhand tactics? The one good thing he could think about now was that no one was around to see the failure that is himself. At least then the only one disappointed would be himself.

When the familiar, and increasingly maddening, sound of the drone neared, he had decided that he would get stronger. He would push himself beyond his limits, so that he could be deserving of the title of a Hero. So that he could be deserving of the lessons Saitama try to teach him. So that he could be deserving of creating relationships with people again.

God knows how he'll handle failing to protect those he cared about once more.

* * *

Tatsumaki couldn't remember the last time she was this scared.

All she was doing was clearing out the monsters she came across when it happened. She remembered all her thoughts coming to a sudden halt, and the surrounding air became too dense to breathe in. Before she regained her senses, she had already blasted off in a direction, ignoring the destruction she was causing and simply heading straight to the source. There she found Fubuki, the back of her dress torn and a a cut in full view. In a blind rage, she would've exploded the minions the monster sent against her, had it not been for Fubuki opening her eyes.

Now, with the monster having escaped and members of the blizzard group embedded into the wall of a nearby building, she flies down to check on her sister.

"I'm fine, you don't have to worry about me!" she insists, but Tatsumaki does not stop, analysing every inch of Fubuki to check for any other injuries, concluding that the only obvious one was the cut on her back. Internal injuries could be possible though since that whip looked thin, which only meant more pressure exerted.

"Onee-chan, I'm fine!"

"Shut up for a moment Fubuki."

Well, considering she's standing straight and barely wincing from the injury, there shouldn't be anything too major. Maybe enhanced healing wasn't exclusive to her alone. Good, at least she knows part of her strength isn't thanks to... to...

"Onee-chan?"

Tatsumaki sighs, and puts her arms around Fubuki's neck. She doesn't miss the surprised gasp and what felt like a flinch.

"Don't **ever** tell me not to worry about you Fubuki." she commands. "I can't lose you again, do you hear?"

"O-Onee-chan..." Fubuki reciprocates the hug. "Why now, after so many years of... of.."

Tatsumaki releases her hold, and she follows suit.

"I guess... it took the stubborn egghead to let me know that it's okay to care. To be less of a-"

"Prick?" the younger suggests.

"I'll let you off this time Imouto." she threatens, no real malice behind her words. "Go home. You must recover, for your sake if not mine."

Fubuki smiles softly. "Both?"

"Both."

"Both is good."

Somehow, she feels like there's some amusement behind her sister's growing smile.

Is she missing a joke or something?

"Whatever. Go, I have more filth to clean up."

Fubuki watches her sister's silhouette disappear over the horizon. With a content sigh, she turned towards the wall where her group was hung up like modern art. She didn't even insult them this time. They were finally making progress it seemed. It felt surreal, like it was all just some dumb dream, one of those scenarios she constantly hoped to whatever god out there would bless her with.

But it's real.

She breathes in the fresh air, flinching when the cool breeze grazes her wound.

 ** _"Well then. Time to head back."_**

The rest of the blizzard group float behind her as she made her way back to Blizzard HQ.

* * *

Apologies for delay, but I only had time to write part 1. I'll delete this single line once I have part two which should be soon since its my one week term break.


End file.
